​​The Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs) and Building Bye-Laws require reviewing and updating to maintain the health, safety, welfare, and convenience of building users in Jersey. A review of the TGDs is required as industry best practice has moved on in numerous areas of building standards. There are several additional reasons for this change including:
- the continued improvement of building standards following the Grenfell fire in London, and the need for Jersey to reflect these crucial changes
- Jersey’s commitment to being Net-Zero by 2050, a plan set out in the Carbon Neutral Roadmap and Bridging Island Plan proposal and policies
- the need to create a process to ensure the regular review of the Technical Guidance Documents going forward​
History of the Building Bye-Laws
- the Building Bye-laws and associated Technical Guidance documents form part of the
Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002
- the Building
Bye-laws were introduced in 1996
- the last big update was in 2019
- Since 2021, there hasn't been a regular check to keep the guides up to date
Why they are being updated
After the Grenfell fire in London, many places changed and updated their building rules to make homes safer and Jersey would like to do the same.
Jersey aims to reach Net-Zero by 2050. To help, buildings need to use less energy and be more eco-friendly. This plan is set out in the
Carbon Neutral Roadmap and
Bridging Island Plan proposal and policies.
Building methods are always improving. Jersey wants to make sure its regulations and guidance match the best and newest ideas used in other places.
Going forward:
How the changes will be made
Jersey follows UK standards, we're using the
UK 'Approved Documents' as a basis and changing them to fit Jersey's needs.
We've split the changes into three groups (workstreams), each with a different focus:
​Workstream 1
| ​Safety
Covers TGD 1, 2, 4, and 12
|
|---|
​Workstream 2
| Net Zero (Better for the Environment) Covers TGD 3, 5, 6, and 11
|
|---|
​Workstream 3
| ​Accessibility and Home Standards (Making Homes Better for Everyone)
Covers TGD 7, 8, 9, and 10​
|
|---|
​
Workstream 1 is being looked at first, followed by workstreams 2 and 3.
How to get involved
We want to talk to people who work in building and construction, and technical specialists, to explain the changes we're making. We want to know what you think and how these changes might affect your work.
Workstream 1: Safety
There are 2 main parts:
- planned updates to current TGDs, these changes will help make sure buildings are safe and follow bes​t practice. These proposed changes will be shown in the tables below
- proposed considerations on which we would like your feedback in the survey below​
Building Standards review engagement survey
The survey will close on the 23 July 2025.
For more information, or if you would like to talk to someone in our team, or have any comments, email
buildingstandardsreview@gov.je.
Technical guidance document part 1: Structure
TGD1 standardises guidance for the struct​ural design in certain types of small buildings:
- foundations
- roofs
- walls
- floors
The document has not been updated since it was initially bought into force in the late 1990s. The primary recommendation is to use the 'UK Approved Document A' as a template and carry out a detailed comparison with our TGD 1 to highlight the differences and consider implementing the most appropriate and clear guidance for the island.
Current Building Bye-Laws technical guidance
Proposed Building Regulations guidance document
|
Span tables | Require regular monitoring, reassessing and updating in order for them to remain accurate. This process has been taken on by the Timber Research and Development Association who publish their own. The span tables will therefore be removed from the TGDs. Designers will need to use this document and obtain the latest copy of span tables in order to design structural elements without the need for a structural engineer |
|---|
|
Stainless steel wall ties for all locations | As Jersey's exposure rating is severe this guidance will be adopted |
|---|
|
Revised guidance on masonry walls | The standardised guidance on the construction of walls will be amended and updated |
|---|
|
Revised guidance on concrete foundations | The standardised guidance on simple strip foundations will be amended and updated |
|---|
|
Guidance on domestic garages updated | The standardised guidance on domestic garages will be amended and updated |
|---|
|
Disproportionate collapse | 5 storey minimum will be removed to bring all buildings under control of requirement 1.3 as per UK guidance |
|---|
|
References to standards updated | The referenced standards will be updated |
|---|
|
Reference to approved Structural Design scheme (SER) | Some commentary may be added within the alternative approach section to the Jersey approved scheme and a link to the Jersey scheme homepage |
|---|
​Technical guidance document part 2: Fire safety
TGD 2 gives guidance on fire safety in buildings and was last updated in 2013. Following the Grenfell tragedy in 2017, significant changes have been made to both law and to UK guidance which includes projected changes into 2029.
The primary recommendation is to use the UK Approved Document B as a template and carry out a detailed comparison with our TGD 2 to highlight the differences and consider implementing the most appropriate and clear guidance for the island. The main changes up to 2029, along with some additional GOJ considerations, are outlined and explained in the following paragraphs.
Current technical guidance part 2: Fire Safety volume 1
Current technical guidance part 2: Fire Safety volume 2
Proposed guidance: Fire Safety volume 1
Proposed guidance: Fire Safety Volume 2
Blocks of flats moved to volume 1
| Move the guidance on flats into the same document as houses so that guidance related to all dwelling types is kept together. This will avoid duplicating guidance |
|---|
| Reduce trigger height for sprinklers from 18m to 11m | Currently sprinklers are only mandatory on buildings over 18m in height. Reduce this trigger height to 11m following the outcome of the Grenfell Enquiry report |
|---|
| Wayfinding signage for the fire service on buildings over 11m | This relates to floors and flat numbers to assist fire fighters' navigation around a building where firefighting shafts are provided |
|---|
| Ban of combustible materials in and on the external walls and balconies in buildings over 11m | In Jersey they are currently banned on the parts of a wall which are above 18m in height and dependent on the distance to boundary. This change was an outcome of the Grenfell enquiry and would put an outright ban on these materials which is covered by law as well as guidance |
|---|
| Secure information boxes, over 11m | This stores vital information about the building for use by the fire service. It mandates that a person responsible for a building ensures the necessary information is provided |
|---|
| Evacuation alarms | This allows for a controlled floor by floor evacuation of a building under the direction of the fire service. This is triggered on buildings over 18m containing flats |
|---|
| Reg 38 Fire safety information | This ensures that the person responsible for the building has sufficient information relating to fire safety. This is covered by Law as well as guidance |
|---|
| Removal of national classes for reaction to fire and roofs | This simplifies compliance by bringing everything in line with European classifications |
|---|
| Surface spread of flame | European standards to be adopted |
|---|
| Sprinkler requirement in schools | Following discussions between Building Standards, Jersey Fire and Rescue Service, Property Holdings and Children and Young People, Education and Skills department. It was agreed that consideration would be given to designing all new school Buildings with sprinklers to ensure both life and property protection to the Island's schools |
|---|
| Fire hydrants | The guidance on the provision of fire hydrants to new developments will be clarified and highlighted |
|---|
| Buildings in scope of TGD2 | TGD 2 is for designed for common building types. It is not intended for complex buildings and situations. This has been highlighted in the Grenfell outcome review. It is therefore proposed to incorporate better guidance on buildings or situations that are in or out of scope of TGD2. This could include the BSR definition of complex/High risk buildings |
|---|
| Living walls | There is currently no guidance in TGD2 related to the provision of living walls on the exterior of buildings. Reference may be made to the most relevant guidance
|
|---|
| Guidance of galleries | The definition of a gallery will be amended to reflect that in BS 9991 |
|---|
​
​
Technical guidance document 4: Resistance to moisture
TGD Part 4 looks at ensuring that the site over which a building is to be constructed is free from contaminants and that the building will adequately resist the passage of moisture. The document was last updated in 2019 and as such is considered relatively up to date. The primary recommendation is to use the UK Approved Documents C and D as a template and carry out a detailed comparison with our TGD 4 to highlight the differences and consider implementing the most appropriate and clear guidance for the island. The main changes to the UK document and some additional GOJ considerations, are outlined and explained in the following paragraphs.
Current technical guidance document 4: resistance to moisture
Proposed guidance document: resistance to moisture
| Guidance on condensation in roofs to be moved from TGD 4 to TGD 5 | This gives requirements to ventilate a roof space to prevent condensation and as such sits better within TGD 5 and will be removed from this document |
|---|
| Wind driven rain clarification | Clarification of Jer​sey's wind driven rain index calculation will be included with the guidance document
|
|---|
​Technical guidance document 12: Electrical safety
TGD part 12 is the standard for electrical safety. It details what is exempt electrical work and the design standards for electrical works carried out under the competent person scheme. The document has not been updated since 1996, however the bye-laws takes an arms length approach to electrical work and therefore few updates are considered necessary.​
Current technical guidance document 12: Electrical safety
Proposed technical guidance document: Electrical safety
The content from workstreams 2 and 3 will be added to the webpage and survey soon, and we will inform stakeholders when this happens.
Workstream 2 Net Zero: due July to August 2025
Workstream 3 Access: due August 2025​​
​​
gov.je