Building Regulations Citation and commencement 1 These regulations may be cited as the Building (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 and shall come into operation on 6th May 2025. Interpretation 2 In these regulations “ the principal Regulations ” means the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 . Transitional provisions 3 1 The principal Regulations shall continue to apply to— a plans deposited or a building notice given in accordance with the principal Regulations before the commencement of these Regulations; b building work carried out in accordance with such plans or such building notice with or without any departure or deviation from those plans or that building notice; and c building work completed before the commencement of these Regulations, as if the amendments effected by these Regulations had not been made. 2 In paragraph (1)— a “ building notice ” means a notice given under regulation 9 (Giving of notices and deposit of plans) of the principal Regulations; and b “ building work ” has the same meaning as in the principal Regulations. Amendment of the principal Regulations 4 The principal Regulations shall be amended as provided in regulations 5 and 6. Amendment of Part A (Interpretation and general) 5 In regulation 8 (Application to material change of use) for the Table to Regulation 8 substitute the Table set out in the Schedule. Amendment of Part E (Fire safety) 6 1 For regulation 32 substitute— Application and interpretation 32 1 Regulations 33 and 35(3) shall not apply to a prison within the meaning of the Prisons Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 or any other place of lawful detention. 2 Regulation 37B applies when a building is— a erected; b formed by a material change of use; or c altered and/or extended, only where regulation 37B has been applied to the building. 3 In this Part— “ Above ground level ” has the meaning assigned to it by regulation 23(4)(b) in Part B; “ Dwelling ” means a self-contained unit of residential accommodation occupied (whether or not as a sole or main residence)— by a single person or by people living together as a family; or by not more than 6 people living together as a single household, including a household where care is provided for residents; “ Dwellinghouse ” means a dwelling on one or more storeys which is detached or forms part of a building from all other parts of which it is divided only vertically and does not include a flat; “ Fire safety duties ” has the meaning given by Article 52 of the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 or duties associated with the fire safety measures in a building containing one or more flats; “ Fire safety information ” means as-built information relating to the design and construction of a building or extension, and the services, fittings and equipment provided in or in connection with a building or extension which will assist the person with fire safety duties to operate and maintain the building or extension with reasonable safety; “ Flat ” has the meaning assigned to it by regulation 2 in Part A; “ Internal linings ” means the materials lining any partition, wall, ceiling or other internal structure; “ Means of escape ” means structural means whereby, in the event of a fire, a safe route or routes is or are provided for people to travel from any point in a building to a place of safety; “ Place of safety ” means a place, outside the building, in which people are in no danger from fire within the building; “ Purpose built student accommodation ” means housing built specifically for students to live in; “ Relevant premises ” has the meaning given by Article 50 of the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006; and “ Residential care premises ” includes residential care homes, nursing homes, children’s homes and residential family centres, each having the same meaning as in the Health & Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement & Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003. . 2 After regulation 37, insert— Fire safety information 37A Where a building is a relevant premises or contains one or more flats, the person carrying out the work shall— a provide adequate fire safety information to the person with fire safety duties in a building not later than the date of completion of the work, or the date of occupation of the building or extension, whichever is the earlier; and b not later than 5 days after the date provided for in subparagraph (a), give a notice in writing to the district council stating that the requirements of subparagraph (a) have been met. Automatic fire suppression systems 37B 1 A building shall be designed and constructed with a suitable automatic fire suppression system. 2 This regulation applies only to — a a building, containing one or more flats, with a storey more than 11m above ground level; b a building, containing purpose built student accommodation, with a storey more than 11m above ground level; and c a residential care premises. . Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 4th November 2024 Desmond C McDonnell A senior officer of the Department of Finance