Meeting Fire Safety Regs for Bin and Cycle Storage

Table of Contents:

• The Regulatory Context
• Bin store fire risk
• Cycle store fire risk
• Risk Factors and Design Responses
• urbanspec Solutions

In a post-Grenfell world, amid increased awareness of fire risks and evolving fire safety regulations, the importance of correctly locating and specifying bin and bike stores is a critical design factor. These often-overlooked elements of external works can represent significant fire risks if poorly sited, and the risk in residential and mixed-use developments is especially heightened. For architects and specifiers, understanding the latest guidance and product options is key to building in safety from day one.

The Regulatory Context

Each build is different and there is no “one size fits all” piece of legislation relating to distance of external waste and cycle storage and residential developments.

General advice recommends siting bike stores that have charge points, as well as all bin stores, at least 6 metres from residential buildings. Where this is not possible, a risk-based design using non-combustible construction and fire-resisting separation should be used to prevent fire spread. 

Key documents to reference include:

• BS 9991, updated in 2024, which sets out a comprehensive code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings
• CFPA-Europe Guideline No. 7:2022 on safety distances between waste containers and buildings
• Insurance and fire-safety guidance from organisations such as the Fire Protection Association

Bin store fire risk

Waste stores are a known source of ignition. Whether from arson, improper disposal or accidental ignition, bins positioned next to façades can act as a direct conduit for fire into buildings.

Recent incidents show the pattern clearly:

• Beighton, Sheffield: Three late-night attacks where unsecured wheelie bins were dragged to touch external walls and set alight, leaving no separation from the façade and enabling rapid spread into the home.
• Flintshire: Hot ash reignited bins stored beside the house, with flames reaching upper windows because containers were sited immediately against the elevation.
• West Bridgford: A lit bin was wedged against the front door, giving zero separation at the entrance and blocking the escape route as fire spread inward.
• Moss Side, Manchester: A fire starting in a wheelie bin and adjacent store spread to the property because the storage sat directly next to the external wall.
• Grangemouth: Three bins were set alight outside the dining room beneath a child’s bedroom, with containers positioned right under windows and against the façade, increasing the risk of internal spread.

These incidents highlight that in the event of a fire, the immediate risk is hugely increased when external stores are situated too close to residential properties due to the high chances of rapid spread. London Fire Brigade’s arson guidance aligns with these findings.

Cycle store fire risk

As with external bin storage, proximity with cycle storage is key in residential settings. When shelters or stores sit tight to façades, beneath eaves or near doors and windows, even a small external fire or deliberate ignition can bridge to the building and spread rapidly. 

Safe storage is crucial as objects, electric or otherwise, blocking potential building exit routes, pose a significant fire risk.

Lithium-ion battery fires linked to e-bikes and e-scooters, especially when stored or charged in communal or ill-ventilated spaces, have recently become a rapidly growing concern. Designers should avoid siting e-mobility storage near entrances or escape routes and consider ventilation and separation strategies as part of the specification.

Counterfeit and modified e-mobility products amplify the risk as they often lack proper charging protections or use unregulated battery packs. A London Fire Brigade analysis revealed that 40% of e-bike fires are linked to poorly constructed conversion kits. Similarly, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute issued a warning about a 150% surge in lithium battery fires, often tied to non-compliant e-bikes and batteries sold online.

In high-density housing, the risk is even greater as in these settings, e-bikes and e-scooters are frequently stored or charged inside flats and communal areas like hallways, stairwells and escape routes. These spaces may be unventilated with limited means of escape in the case of a fire. The LFB reports multiple fatal incidents linked to devices charging in corridors or enclosed escape points.

This trend is particularly concerning for food delivery riders, who often rely on DIY conversion kits and lower-cost equipment. Many of these workers live in cramped or low-income housing without safe storage options. Electrical Safety First highlights that conversion kits are popular due to affordability, yet lack regulatory oversight; a dangerous combination.

With this in mind, location, specification and material choice are critical during the design phase. Projects must consider local variations in regulation and may require fire engineers or building control approval. A risk-based approach early in the design phase ensures compliance and occupant safety.

Risk Factors and Design Responses

Risk factor	Fire-safe strategy
Close proximity to dwellings	Aim for 6–10 m separation where practicable. If not achievable, use non-combustible construction and fire-resisting separation such as EI 30 barriers and roofs, based on a project-specific risk assessment.
Combustible materials	Use non-combustible cladding and roofing. Avoid timber unless adequately protected to a verified performance.
Arson opportunity	Use lockable stores with controlled apertures, good lighting and CCTV. Reduce time bins are left accessible by presenting only on collection day.
Escape route blockage	Keep storage clear of doors, windows, eaves and designated escape routes. Maintain defensible space between stores and façades.
E-mobility battery risk	Provide ventilated, compartmentalised parking. Separate from entrances and escape stairs and avoid charging in enclosed communal routes.

urbanspec Solutions

urbanspec bin and bike stores are engineered with fire safety in mind. P-Series bin stores and H-Series bike hubs can be specified in non-combustible construction with fire-resisting roofs and walls, keeping waste securely behind solid, lockable doors. For constrained sites where 6m separation is not possible, fire-resisting construction becomes essential to control spread risk.

For cycle storage, our shelters and stores support secure, compartmentalised parking with optional ventilation and modular separation. Where electric bikes or scooters are to be stored, our team can advise on layout, ventilation and management strategies.

Our design support team can provide:

• Technical data to support planning and building control submissions
• Site-specific layout advice
• Fire-rated specification options