Security as Standard for Permadoor

Published: 27th March 2015

The Government’s new housing standards regime will introduce five new core standards which will be the only ones available to local authorities beyond Building Regulations, ending their freedom to set their own local standards through the planning system. Only one of these, Security, will be mandatory.

The new standards will create a national regulation on security standards in all new homes and will introduce a new Approved Document Q. This is based on the provisions of British Standard PAS 24: 2012, which sets standards for door and window assemblies, including tests and specifications for locks, as well as the robustness of the doors and windows themselves. PAS 24 is a higher standard than common industry practice, which typically follows guidance set out by the National House Building Council.

With over 25 years’ experience as a leading supplier to the social housing sector, where the requirements are generally more stringent, Permadoor already manufactures doors to current PAS24 and Secured By Design standards.

With the extensive knowledge gained from their social housing experience, Permadoor does not anticipate any difficulty in complying with the new regulations. “At the moment, consultation papers are still circulating, so we are not sure what the final detail will be, but as we already comply with current standards, we do not envisage any problems meeting the new regulation.” confirms Neil Rodway, Permadoor’s Technical Manager.

Neil continues, “The requirement for PAS24 enhanced security doorsets is something Permadoor is already fully familiar with, as it is generally a basic requirement for social housing customers. We already supply PAS24 entrance doorsets and are working currently with BM Trada to ensure that our fire rated doorsets are also accredited before the introduction of the new standard.”

Neil believes that any changes necessary under the new standard will not affect or compromise energy performance in any way on. For Permadoor, providing compliant doorsteps to the highest standards is important, so the new security standard is a positive move. As Neil says, “At Permadoor we are totally committed to producing high quality doorsets and windows that comply with the latest regulations, so we welcome any initiatives that result in improved security.”