The Construction Leadership Council has published new practitioner guidance on fire risk assessments and external wall appraisals. It follows the publication of PAS 9980:2026. Most of it is aimed at fire risk professionals, but members working on ground-floor commercial units beneath flats should be aware of it.
What has been published?
On 15 October 2026 the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) published practitioner guidance titled Behavioural Principles When Developing, Reviewing and Auditing Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls. It was developed in consultation with MHCLG, the Building Safety Regulator and BSI. It sets out how fire risk assessments (FRAs) and fire risk appraisals of external walls (FRAEWs) should be carried out, reviewed and audited. The emphasis is on conclusions that are proportionate, evidence-based and free from personal bias.
It follows BSI’s publication on 30 September 2026 of PAS 9980:2026. This is the updated code of practice used to appraise the fire risk of external walls on existing blocks of flats.
MHCLG has also published supporting guidance on FRAEWs for non-technical readers. It explains what an appraisal covers, what to consider when commissioning one, and how to interpret the findings.
Who is the guidance aimed at?
Both documents are mainly for fire engineers, fire risk assessors and other building professionals who carry out or review appraisals. Shopfitting contractors are not expected to carry out FRAEWs or to apply the PAS 9980 method themselves.
However, PAS 9980 names contractors among the groups expected to use the outputs of an appraisal and act on its findings. That makes it relevant to some members’ work.
Why it matters to shopfitters
PAS 9980 applies to blocks of flats that sit within mixed-use buildings, including those with shops or offices below. Many high-street shop units are in exactly this kind of building.
The PAS defines the external wall broadly. It covers the full construction from inside to outside, including finishes and any cladding added later through renovation. Its definitions also cover curtain walling, infill panels, cavities, cavity barriers and fire stopping. It identifies particular materials, including timber, high pressure laminate and metal composite panels such as ACM.
In practice, this means that a shopfront, fascia, stallriser, sign panel or canopy on a block of flats is likely to form part of the external wall an appraiser will assess. The same applies to the concealed details behind and above that work.
What members should do
If you are working on the frontage of a building with flats above, we recommend that you:
- Ask whether an FRAEW exists before you start. Ask the client or managing agent what it says about the ground-floor elevation, and whether your work could affect its findings. MHCLG’s supporting guidance is a good starting point for understanding what an FRAEW report contains.
- Know the fire performance of what you install. Under PAS 9980, materials that are not classified A1 or A2 are treated as combustible. That doesn’t automatically rule them out, but they will be a factor in any appraisal. Take particular care with metal composite panels.
- Detail the shop/flat junction properly. Cavity barriers and fire stopping where the commercial unit meets the residential floors above are key factors in an appraisal.
- Hand over good records. Product data, fire classifications and as-built details let future appraisals rely on evidence rather than worst-case assumptions. They also support the golden thread of building information.
New work to existing buildings must still comply with the Building Regulations and the statutory guidance in Approved Document B. PAS 9980 governs how existing external walls are appraised. It does not replace the requirements for the new work you carry out.
Further information
- CLC practitioner guidance: Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls
- PAS 9980:2026, available to purchase from BSI
- MHCLG: Fire risk appraisals of external walls (FRAEWs), supporting guidance
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- The Building Regulations 2010
- Approved Document B (Fire safety)
Members with questions about this guidance can contact the NAS team at enquiries@shopfitters.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or technical advice. Members should seek competent professional advice on specific projects.