FAQ Category: Part M - Access to and use of buildings

A minimum of 1200mm should be maintained between fixed built in elements such as walls or kitchen cupboards. Loose furniture can encroach into the minimum clear access space of 1200mm set, whilst not a requirement it would be reasonable to expect a route at least 750mm clear to be maintained between any loose furniture and fixed units.

Yes, for Category 2 where there is a need to insulate inhabited areas below a balcony or terrace a step-up of up to 225mm would be reasonable. This does not apply to Category 3.

The term porch or lobby is intended here as a private and domestic front porch or lobby to a dwelling. Lobbies created in corridors or other circulation spaces elsewhere in the dwelling do not need to comply with requirements of 2.20i but should comply with requirements for hall and door widths in paragraph 2.22. Door swings into a private lobby or private porch should be designed so that a wheelchair user can practicably enter the private lobby and then turn to close the door.

The requirement for 1500mm between door swings should be measured with doors closed where one leaf opens into the lobby, and the other opens outwards but should be measured between open door swings where both doors open into the lobby. Door swings to a non-habitable room such as a WC or a store door opposite the front door would not require this 1500mm dimension.

Where the approach is head on, and where the double doors are not the principal or alternative entrance, it would be reasonable for at least one or both leaves to have individual clear opening widths of 750mm. Where both leaves of a double door can be operated with a single action, door leaves smaller than 750mm may be reasonable providing that the Building Control Body is satisfied that the doors in combination are reasonably accessible to a wheelchair user.

A projecting corner is typically created by a wall projecting outwards beyond the plane of the door. It would be reasonable for door controls to be positioned at least 300mm from any corner or obstruction that would prevent a wheelchair user accessing the controls in the same way as is done with the 300mm nib required for doors.

It is possible that some ramped approaches may incorporate gradients of 1:12, but in general, a ramped approach should have gradients in accordance with lengths and rises shown in diagram 2.1.

A 300mm nib is required for a head-on approach to a gate or door to ensure that the door can be approached and opened by a wheelchair user – the nib allows a wheelchair foot rest (or other mobility aid) to project beyond the line of the door frame, enabling a wheelchair user to reach the door handle.

When the internal approach is not head-on, a nib may not be required for all of the 1200mm (Cat 2)(2,20f) or 1800mm (Cat 3) (diagram 3.3 and 3.24f) distance as indicated, provided that the proposed layout creates the movement space for a wheelchair user to approach the door controls and use the door handles to open the door.

This meets provision 2.22d where a door opens inward (shown dotted) to provide a leading edge.

A landing is defined in common usage as “a level area at the top of a staircase or ramp or between one flight of a stair or ramp and another” and it would be reasonable to expect these landings to have a gradient between 1:40 and 1:60.

Category 3 Bathrooms should provide a 1500mm turning circle free of low-level obstruction that provides 360’ access and movement for a wheelchair user. Ellipses are not used to demonstrate compliance in bathroom, cloak room or wet rooms.

Category 3 bedrooms require that a 1200mm manoeuvring square is used to make reasonable provision for space around beds and between doors and other bedroom furniture.

In living areas / the lounge of a Category 3 dwelling, either a 1400×1700 ellipse or the 1500mm turning circle can be used to demonstrate a reasonable manoeuvring zone.