Managing Change – Fire and historic buildings

From 19 December 2022 to 13 March 2023, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) asked for your views on draft guidance on fire and historic buildings. The guidance is an update and refresh to the existing Managing Change guidance note called Fire Safety Management.

The draft Fire and Historic Buildings guidance set out the principles and specific issues that are relevant to fire and historic buildings. It looks at understanding your building and cultural significance, identifying risks, safety measures and responses to damage.

We asked to hear your thoughts and ideas about the proposed content of this guidance and your feedback on any part of it. We particularly asked for your views on the key messages and considerations to guide decision-making. We also asked for suggestions for possible case studies relating to fire safety or works after a fire has taken place.

We received 9 responses of which 5 completed the set survey questions.

The key points from the comments received were:

• 80% agreed with the scope and approach of the guidance.
• The key messages were either agreed or strongly agreed with by participants.
• The guidance should refer to the climate and nature crises and the historic environment’s role in a just transition to net zero throughout.
• The guidance should make it clear that it applies to all buildings with cultural significance, not just historic buildings.
• The guidance should give more information about the risks that historic buildings can experience from fire, including when they are not in use or undergoing refurbishment.
• Some of the detailed advice on some methods of fire suppression should be checked for accuracy.
• The guidance should highlight the need for historic environment expertise when risk assessments or works are undertaken.
• The scope of document could be confusing – some responses suggested splitting into one publication on fire safety and separate document for fire damage.
• We should look at our timescales for publication, in light of other reviews and guidance being underway.
• Welcome signposting to other sources of guidance and policy reference. Suggested this should be done more, including adding specific references from National Planning Framework 4.
• We should prioritise case studies on emergency plans and fire risk assessment.

You can now review the final version of Managing Change: Fire and Historic Buildings on our website.

The key changes that were made post consultation include:

• Made minor edits to key messages, reflecting advice on specific wording.
• Added one new key message (key message 9) which refers to circular economy and just transition to net zero. Made specific reference to this throughout the document, including references to policies in NPF4 and a further information box on other values of historic buildings.
• Added a further information note on how we’re using the term historic buildings – and explaining that we think that the approach set out in the guidance could apply to any building with cultural significance. We have kept the reference to historic buildings as they can experience particular risks from fire.
• Revised one of the key messages in the document to draw out why historic buildings can experience higher levels of fire risk. We will also explore possible case studies for this topic.
• Reviewed and made minor changes to further information boxes for suppression methods – sprinkler systems and doors.
• Highlighted the need for specific expertise working with historic buildings in further information on consents and permissions.
• Decided to keep the current scope of the document as a single publication covering fire safety and fire damage – this reflects the scope of the previous Managing Change guidance note on this topic. We have signposted the scope of the guidance more clearly in the introduction and through design.
• Decided to publish this now rather than wait for uncertain timescales of review and other guidance publications. We do not expect these to alter the messages in this document. We will make minor updates to links and references as and when necessary, but this should not delay publication.
• Added more signposting to other documents and guidance. We have added a further information box on National Planning Framework 4, and added specific policy references throughout the document.
• Started to identify priority areas for case studies, including looking for example cases for emergency plans and fire risk assessment.