High-end safety for high-end retail. JRA Safety’s fire strategy for Larry King Marylebone ensures luxury and compliance coexist.
Abacus, Digbeth
Abacus, Digbeth
JRA Fire Safety Advisors were appointed by Giant Property Management to undertake a comprehensive fire risk assessment of the Abacus Building, a large mixed-height residential development located in Digbeth, Birmingham, comprising three interconnected residential blocks and associated basement/undercroft car parking.
The commission involved a detailed assessment of the fire safety arrangements across the communal areas and shared facilities of the development to evaluate compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and associated higher-risk residential building legislation.
The Abacus development represents a complex purpose-built residential scheme operating under a ‘Stay Put’ evacuation strategy, incorporating multiple protected stair cores, smoke ventilation systems, firefighting shafts, dry risers, firefighting lifts, and extensive compartmentation measures. As a higher-risk residential building under the Building Safety Act framework, the project required a robust and technically detailed fire risk assessment reflecting the increased scrutiny applicable to occupied high-rise residential premises.
JRA undertook a full review of the building’s passive and active fire protection measures, including means of escape, compartmentation, fire doors, smoke control systems, emergency lighting, firefighting facilities, signage, external wall considerations, and fire safety management arrangements. Particular attention was given to the interaction between the building’s stay put evacuation strategy and wider life safety provisions, including review of external wall fire risk information, smoke ventilation performance, and the suitability of fire safety arrangements for vulnerable occupants under emerging Residential Evacuation Plan requirements.
The assessment identified a series of strategic and operational recommendations relating to compartmentation standards, fire door performance, smoke control verification, emergency lighting consistency, signage adequacy, and the management of evacuation arrangements for residents requiring assistance. These findings were presented within a structured, risk-prioritised action plan to support the Responsible Person in implementing proportionate remedial measures and maintaining compliance with evolving residential fire safety legislation.
This project demonstrates JRA Fire Safety Advisors’ capability in delivering technically robust fire risk assessments for complex higher-risk residential developments, combining detailed legislative knowledge, practical fire engineering understanding, and pragmatic management recommendations to support ongoing compliance, resident safety, and effective building safety management.




















