Fire Safety in Mixed-Use Developments: Navigating Complex Compliance

The Rise of Mixed-Use Spaces 

Mixed-use developments are on the rise, combining residential, commercial, and retail spaces into a single footprint. But with that innovation comes complexity, especially when it comes to fire safety. At Pyroactive, we specialise in navigating the unique compliance challenges these buildings present.

Unique Risks in a Single Footprint 

Different occupancies mean different risk profiles. A takeaway on the ground floor, flats above, and office space next door? Each brings its own set of hazards and legal obligations. Add in separate access points, shared escape routes, and split responsibilities, and things get complicated fast.

Legal and Practical Challenges 

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the ‘responsible person’ is legally required to ensure the safety of occupants. In mixed-use spaces, that could mean multiple responsible persons. Coordination is key to ensuring assessments don’t conflict or leave gaps. Some of the most common pitfalls we see include the lack of a unified fire strategy across the whole development, confusion over who manages communal areas, conflicting maintenance or evacuation plans, and overlooked passive fire protection between use types.

Adapting to Constant Change 

Mixed-use sites often undergo regular changes,  fit-outs, tenant changes, new access routes – each of which must be reflected in the overall fire strategy. If a new tenant installs a false ceiling or partitions, they may unknowingly breach a fire compartment. It’s this interconnected nature of risk that demands a coordinated approach.

Pyroactive’s Integrated Solutions 

We cut through the confusion with clear delineation of responsibilities, integrated fire strategies tailored to your site layout, and coordination with all parties, from landlords to leaseholders. Through consistent inspection, detailed reporting, and targeted remediation, we bring clarity and cohesion to complex developments. We ensure that each part of the building is treated with the same level of diligence, without siloes or assumptions. In buildings where one floor can affect another, siloed thinking isn’t just inefficient – it’s dangerous. We’re here to ensure fire safety is everyone’s business, managed intelligently from the ground up. Whether you’re planning a new development or managing an existing one, Pyroactive can help you stay compliant, confident, and protected.

Struggling to align fire safety across your mixed-use site? Contact us for integrated strategies that deliver clarity, compliance, and complete peace of mind.