Pairing of Wates and Havering council the latest to run into problems over planned rules

Wates and Havering Council have stopped work on a 1,380-home regeneration project due to the ongoing uncertainty over proposed rules requiring second staircases in tower blocks.

The joint venture has been working on the Waterloo and Queen Street scheme at the east London site, which will see 270 existing homes demolished and replaced with 10 blocks ranging from three to 16 storeys in height.

But the pair said it has 鈥渢aken the difficult decision鈥 to pause work due to uncertainty over building safety standards.

wates

Wates鈥 scheme will see 3,500 homes built at the east London site

A spokesperson said: 鈥淭he government has yet to reach a decision about new building safety legislation regarding taller buildings.

鈥淭he current design for the Waterloo and Queen Street site is safe and meets current building safety laws.

鈥淗owever, regulations are likely to change to require two staircases in buildings over 30 metres, so we have taken the decision to pause the development at this early point in the construction process until we have a better understanding of what the new regulations will mean.鈥

The pair said they remain committed to the development, which is part of the borough鈥檚 拢1bn 鈥12 estates鈥 regeneration programme to deliver 3,500 new homes.

The decision by Wates and Havering is the latest example of disruption to development plans since the government published a consultation paper at the end of last year

This was followed by London mayor Sadiq Khan in February saying to be signed off by City Hall.

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In March, London housing association , saying it can鈥檛 commit to designs across 20 towers without further clarity over new rules.

Developer Landsec has submitted fresh designs for to include a second staircase, while Westminster Council has ordered a redesign of its 1,100-home

Berkeley Homes if the 30m rule comes into effect.

The government鈥檚 consultation on the proposed second staircase rule closed in the middle of March and the industry is waiting to see what ministers will decide.

The government admitted the rule would affect viability, due to the reduced saleable or rentable area in buildings because of space taken up by the additional stair core. Its consultation paper said this is 鈥渓ikely to reduce the amount of affordable housing that can be provided by developers.鈥

The government has said second staircases can reduce conflicts between firefighters entering a building and residents trying to escape, reduce the risk of smoke filling an escape stairwell and provide residents with an alternative means of escape should one stairwell fill up with smoke.

Several industry bodies, including the RIBA and the Chartered Institute of Housing,