http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/55/section/24Building Act 1984 An Act to consolidate certain enactments concerning building and buildings and related matters.1984-10-31texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-07-06Expert Participation2026-07-01 Building Act 1984s. 131ABuilding Safety Act 2022s. 59s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984s. 95(5)Building Safety Act 2022s. 60(2)s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984s. 131BBuilding Safety Act 2022s. 60(3)s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984Sch. 1 para. 7A(4)Building Safety Act 2022Sch. 5 para. 83(5)s. 170(4)(b)(c)reg. 2(n)(xxxiii)reg. 2(d)(xi)Sch.reg. 348- 12Building Act 1984s. 44(11)Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004s. 3(8)s. 11(3)Building Act 1984s. 1(1A)(d)Infrastructure Act 2015s. 37(2)s. 57(5)(a)Building Act 1984Sch. 1 para. 7AInfrastructure Act 2015s. 37(4)s. 57(5)(a) Part I241Where—aan application for building control approval in respect of a building or an extension of a building is made to a building control authority, andbthe building or, as the case may be, the building as extended will be a building to which this section applies,the authority shall reject the application unless they show that the building, or, as the case may be, the building as extended, will be provided with such means of ingress and egress and passages or gangways as the authority, after consultation with the fire and rescue authority, deem satisfactory, regard being had to the purposes for which the building is intended to be, or is, used and the number of persons likely to resort to it at any one time.2Any question arising under subsection (1) above between a building control authority and the person by whom, or on whose behalf, an application for building control approval is made as to whether the means of ingress or egress or passages or gangways already existing, or proposed to be provided, ought to be accepted by the authority as satisfactory may on the application of that person be determined by the appropriate court or tribunal.3Where building regulations imposing requirements as to the provision of means of escape in case of fire are applicable to a proposed building or proposed extension of a building, or would be so applicable but for a direction under section 8 above dispensing with such requirements—athis section, andbany provision of a local Act that has effect in place of this section,does not apply in relation to the proposed building or extension.4Subject to subsection (3) above, this section applies to—aa theatre, and a hall or other building that is used as a place of public resort,ba restaurant, shop, store or warehouse to which members of the public are admitted and in which more than twenty persons are employed,cpremises in respect of which a club premises certificate has effect under the Licensing Act 2003,da school not exempted from the operation of building regulations, andea church, chapel or other place of public worshipbut not—ia private house to which members of the public are admitted occasionally or exceptionally,iia building that was used as a church, chapel or other place of public worship immediately before the date on which section 36 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1890, or a corresponding provision in a local Act, came into operation in the district or rating district, oriiia building that was so used immediately before the 1st October 1937 (the date of commencement of the Public Health Act 1936) in a district or rating district where neither the said section 36 nor such a corresponding provision ever came into operation.Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) restricted by Channel Tunnel Act 1987 (c. 53, SIF 102), ss. 31(1), 45, Sch. 7 Pt. VI para. 2Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) modified (1.4.1991) by National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19, SIF 113:2), s. 60(2), Sch. 8 para. 18(1)Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) modified (17.7.1992) by S.I. 1992/1732, art. 4(1)Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (18. 12. 1996) by 1996 c. 61, s. 38, Sch. 10 para.7PPt. I (ss. 1-46) excluded (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 4(5) (subject to art. 1(3))S. 24 excluded by Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 (c. 27, SIF 45A), ss. 26(1), 33(1)(d)1890 c. 59.1936 c. 49.Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (22.7.2008) by Crossrail Act 2008 (c. 18), Sch. 14 para. 8Words in s. 24(1) substituted (1.10.2004 except in relation to W., 10.11.2004 for W.) by Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21), s. 61, Sch. 1 para. 57(2)(3)(b); S.I. 2004/2304, art. 2; S.I. 2004/2917, art 2S. 24(4)(c) substituted (24.11.2005) by Licensing Act 2003 (c. 17), s. 201(2), Sch. 6 para. 91 (with ss. 2(3), 15(2), 195); S.I. 2005/3056, art. 2(2)Words in s. 24(2) substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 6 para. 9(d); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(o)(i) (with reg. 6)Words in s. 24 substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 26(2); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(xi) (with reg. 4)S. 16 cross-heading substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 19; S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(ix); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(xi), Sch. (with regs. 3, 4, 8-12)Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (23.2.2017) by High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act 2017 (c. 7), s. 70(1), Sch. 22 para. 1Pt. 1 excluded (11.2.2021) by High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) Act 2021 (c. 2), s. 64(1), Sch. 22 para. 1(1)(a) (with Sch. 22 para. 1(2)(3))Pt. 1 (ss. 1-46) excluded (24.9.2014) by The Thames Water Utilities Limited (Thames Tideway Tunnel) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/2384), art. 1, Sch. 19 Pt. 1 para. 3Pt. 1 excluded (4.10.2024) by The National Grid (Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/958), art. 1, Sch. 15 para. 4 (with art. 40, Sch. 14)Words in s. 24(1) substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W., 1.7.2026 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 26(3)(b); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(xi) (with reg. 3); S.I. 2025/1368, reg. 2(o)Words in s. 24(1)(a) substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W., 1.7.2026 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 26(3)(a); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(xi) (with reg. 3); S.I. 2025/1368, reg. 2(o)Words in s. 24(2) substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W., 1.7.2026 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 26(4); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(xi) (with reg. 3); S.I. 2025/1368, reg. 2(o)