Gigabit broadband must not become a building safety blind spot

That is why the Government's plans to accelerate broadband rollout, as announced in the King’s Speech last month, have been broadly welcomed across the property sector. However, one element of the proposed reforms concerns me, and has received almost no attention so far.

Namely, measures designed to make it easier for broadband providers to install gigabit infrastructure in residential buildings. This may appear relatively minor when viewed alongside major reforms around leasehold, remediation and building safety, but hastily installed broadband has the potential to create significant safety and liability challenges for those responsible for keeping residents safe.

To be clear, the broadband itself is not the issue. The challenge is ensuring that broadband upgrades are delivered safely.

Since Grenfell, the residential property sector has rightly become far more focused on building safety. Building owners and managing agents are now expected to understand and manage risks in far greater detail than ever before. Any works involving drilling, cabling or alterations to a building's fabric therefore require careful consideration.

One of the biggest concerns is compartmentation. Residential buildings are designed to prevent fire and smoke spreading rapidly between different parts of a building. When broadband providers install new cabling, those protections can be compromised if penetrations through walls and floors are not properly managed and fire-stopped.

In some cases, poorly managed installation works can create compliance issues that require further investigation, remediation or additional fire risk assessments. This is particularly relevant in buildings over 18 metres in height, where regulatory scrutiny has increased significantly in recent years.

It is one reason why broadband providers can sometimes encounter resistance when seeking access to residential buildings. Too often, this is interpreted as property managers or freeholders being obstructive. The reality is usually far more straightforward: building managers need confidence that works will be carried out safely and in a way that does not compromise existing fire safety measures.

Again, this is not an argument against gigabit broadband. In fact, it should be perfectly possible to install modern digital infrastructure without compromising building safety. Most providers want to do the right thing, and many already work collaboratively with building owners and managing agents to ensure works are undertaken responsibly.

The issue is ensuring there are clear standards, clear responsibilities and clear oversight.

As government continues to introduce reforms through the Remediation Bill, the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act and other building safety measures, what the sector needs most is certainty. Managing agents are currently navigating a significant volume of regulatory change, while residents understandably want reassurance that their homes are becoming both safer and better connected.

The danger is that broadband rollout is viewed purely as a technology issue. It is not. It is also a building safety issue.

The push for gigabit broadband is undoubtedly a positive development. But as we modernise our buildings for the future, we must ensure that digital connectivity and building safety go hand in hand.

Residents deserve both.

Mairead McErlean, Head of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs at FirstPort