The government has unveiled plans to force developers to put second staircases in all new housing blocks above 30m, marking a significant victory by fire safety campaigners in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

In a consultation issued in the dying hours before the Christmas break, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities proposed introducing a mandate for a second staircase on new blocks above 30 metres – around 10 storeys – in order to “make buildings safer”.

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