Application of Current Guidance and its Limitations for Data Centers in the UK

26 January 2026

Application of Current Guidance and its Limitations for Data Centers in the UK

The UK’s tech sector is about to experience an extraordinary investment boom. The £10 billion data center announced in Blyth is just one of a pipeline of major data center projects under the new US-UK Tech Prosperity Deal and a sign that data centers are about to grow dramatically in terms of their size, value and stimulus to the UK economy.

So this seems like a good moment to consider how the current UK regulatory and guidance landscape in relation to data centers affects fire engineering and what limitations these practically pose. It provides us, too, with an opportunity to share some insights about how Joule Group’s expert team manage these challenges to deliver robust and future-proofed fire safety solutions to data center projects in the UK and elsewhere.

Regulatory Position

In the UK, planning use classes are the legal framework that determines what a property can be used for by its lawful occupants. Within this framework, data centers fall under Class B, a category that embraces many similar business activities, and groups them together with storage and distribution centers under Class B8 buildings.

While the grouping together of data centers with storage facilities reflects some operational similarities, there is an emerging industry consensus that this oversimplifies the complexity of the design and purpose of data centres. Crucially, these facilities are more than storage spaces – they have unique architectural, operational, and technical requirements.

Despite a 2020 review of the use class system in the UK, data centers have remained in Class B8, highlighting the way in which technological innovation and change may be outpacing regulatory guidance. To address this regulatory gap, it is essential that fire engineers interpret and apply appropriate guidance to ensure that fire safety designs are appropriate for the risks and functions of data centers.

Guidance Position

Fire engineers will always be looking beyond planning use class classifications and consider statutory guidance and best-practice codes, in order to ensure fire safety in data centers. Fire safety in the UK is governed by The Buildings Regulations 2010 (as amended), which establishes minimum standards for the design, construction, and alteration of buildings. The Approved Document B (ADB) and Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 are the supplementary documents which fire engineers can cite, helping them in designing appropriate fire safety plans for these unique facilities. Within ADB, Volume 2 is most relevant to data centers and covers Purpose Groups 6 and 7(a), which relate to industrial and storage buildings.

However, ADB primarily caters for ‘common’ building types, again not reflecting the specialist nature of data centers, their purpose and use. To address this, fire engineers often refer to BS 9999, a code of practice for fire safety in the design, management, and use of buildings.

BS 9999 provides valuable recommendations to ensure acceptable levels of fire safety are achieved for people in and around buildings. Offering a more holistic view than other guidance documents, its flexibility facilitates the design of fire precautions that can be applied to all building types. Owing to the unique nature of data centers’ design and purpose, BS 9999 is a vital code for fire engineers as they go about ensuring and validating the fire life safety of these complex structures.

Limitations and Solutions

While BS 9999 provides for a more flexible approach, it lacks specificity in some areas. This limitation can be supplemented with International Guidance such as that published by the NFPA, International Code Council (ICC), or insurance guidance from entities such as FM Global. NFPA 855, for example, is a standard that addresses and ensures the safe deployment of energy storage systems, which are often installed within data centers; a fire safety standard which is lacking its UK equivalent counterpart. There is some guidance available for other design aspects of data centres, such as diesel generators and fuel storage, where the design team can consider standards and guidance such as BS 5410-3 and HSG 176 governing fuel safety, and BS 6266 applicable to early detection in sensitive electronic areas. Additionally, EN 50600 can be applied, however, its level of detail for fire safety is certainly not as detailed as other design standards applicable to data centres.

Regulations set the baseline for fire safety. But every data center project requires a bespoke strategy that can address and mitigate the risks missed in UK guidance. In addition, it is vital that client needs and their insurer’s requirements are also part of the plan, recognising that a data center must adhere to a client’s needs post completion. By going above and beyond these minimum standards, fire engineers such as those who work for Joule Group ensure these facilities are both resilient and secure for customers, clients, and insurers.

A tidal wave of change is coming to the UK data centers sector, and that means more complexity in delivering effective and compliant fire safety systems. Watch this space!

Get in Touch

To learn more about how Joule Group’s fire safety expertise could help you better protect your data center project, please get in touch with us at info@joule-group.com.

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