Urban
development 
Sapphire Properties - Grade two listed development made safer with sprinklers
Grade II listed development praised by
local fire authority after apartments are made safer with
sprinklers
A sympathetic restoration of the country’s oldest residential
concrete building has been applauded by the local fire and
rescue authority after sprinklers were installed in a bid to
meet fire safety requirements.
Built in 1870, the restoration of Marine Crescent along
Folkestone seafront has been praised by Kent Fire and Rescue
Service (KFRS) for the installation of sprinklers.
Developers, Sapphire Properties (UK) Ltd, worked alongside
English Heritage and Shepway District Council from the start of
the three-year project to ensure the building maintained its
original Victorian architecture. The residential sprinkler
system avoided an unsightly ‘New York style’ external metal
staircase as the alternative secondary means of escape.
Designed by local fire suppression company, Safe Living Ltd, as
part of a ‘freedom and flexibility' arrangement, the system has
enabled just one internal escape route, a single staircase with
lift, whilst complying with Building Regulation Approved
Document B.
The restoration also featured replacing all external features
including the cast iron balconies and railings, sash windows and
reinforcing the concrete balconies. Internally, all of the
features were reproduced including joinery, doors, ironmongery,
covings and paintwork using a specialist heritage range.
Marine Crescent originally featured hotels at either end with
town houses in the middle. Part of the Crescent (Pier House) was
bombed in the war and then rebuilt in brickwork. The building
deteriorated with parts remaining vacant for ten years prior to
the redevelopment.
Today, Marine Crescent features 91 apartments in total but only
the 61 situated on the ground floor to the fourth floor required
sprinklers. The basement properties already had two exits with
front and rear doors.
Commenting on the development, Bryan Cope, Kent and Medway Fire
and Rescue Authority Chairman, said: ‘We commend both Safe
Living and Sapphire Properties for leading the way forward in
fire protection measures. They have set an excellent example in
demonstrating the freedom and flexibility that sprinklers
provide in achieving fire safety requirements.
‘Kent Fire and Rescue Service is committed to reducing the
number of accidental fire deaths and injuries and will shortly
be launching our ‘Safer with Sprinklers’ campaign next month
which is aimed at improving safety in the homes of vulnerable
people.’
Terry Dowding of Safe Living Ltd, who is also an architectural
designer, said: “Safe Living Ltd has designed an unobtrusive
sprinkler system for Marine Crescent which is both sympathetic
to the architecture and meets Building Control fire safety
requirements.
‘Our aim is to help protect lives and property against the
devastating effects of fire. We hope to achieve this by aiding
building control officers, architects, developers and property
owners to achieve innovative designs, without compromising fire
safety.’
Email:
kate.murrell@springboard-marketing.co.uk