Liftways in buildings
The building regulations set out legal requirements for specific aspects of building design and construction. A series of approved documents provide general guidance about how different aspects of building design and construction can comply with the building regulations.
Approved document M provides guidance for satisfying Part M of the building regulations: Access to and use of buildings, which requires the inclusive provision of ease of access to, and circulation within, buildings, together with requirements for facilities for people with disabilities.
Approved document M, Volume 1: Dwellings (2015 edition incorporating 2016 amendments) defines a liftway as a:
Vertical route linking all floors of a dwelling accommodating (or capable of accommodating) a lift or lifting platform. |
In wheelchair accessible and wheelchair adaptable dwellings, the approved document may require the installation of a liftway 1100mm wide and 1650 mm long internally, linking circulation areas at every floor level of the dwelling. However, in wheelchair adaptable dwellings it may permit the liftway to be used for another purpose (such as storage) providing that it would be easy to convert the liftway to use without the need for structural modifications and without compromising other requirements of the regulations.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Accessibility in the built environment.
- Approved document M.
- Disabled access lifts.
- Equality Act.
- Firefighting lift.
- Hoists.
- Lift Standards: EN 81-20 and EN 81-50.
- Lifts.
- Lifting device.
- Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER).
- Lifting platform.
- People with disabilities.
- Ramps.
- Wheelchair platform stairlifts.
Featured articles and news
Can your business afford to ignore mental well-being?
£70 - 100 billion annually in UK construction sector.
Mental health in the construction industry
World Mental Health Day 10 October.
Construction awards provide relief in wake of ISG collapse
Spike in major infrastructure awards, housing up but short of targets, are ISG collapse impacts yet to come.
Biodiversity net gain with related updates and terms
Only 0.5% of applications subject to BNG in the context significant proposed changes to planning.
As political power has shifted from blue to red
Has planning now moved from brown to green?
The role of construction in tackling the biodiversity crisis
New CIOB Nature of Building digital series available now.
The Nature Towns and Cities initiative
Grants of up to 1 million for local councils and partners.
The continued ISG fall out October updates
Where to look for answers to frequently asked questions.
Building safety remediation programme for Wales
With 2024 October progress updates.
In major support package for small businesses.
Conservation and transformation
Reading Ruskin’s cultural heritage. Book review.
Renovating Union Chain Bridge.
AI tools for planning, design, construction and management
A long, continually expanding list, any more to add?
Robots in the construction industry
From cultural characterisations to construction sites.
Empowering construction with AI integration
New horizons with a human touch.
Key AI related terms to be aware of
With explanations from the UK government.