Town planning

摘要

The January 2002 fire at the Rows in Chester provided some key lessons on managing fire safety in historic UK town centres. Steve Emery reports. The UK has many historic town centres, some of which have experienced fires that have spread beyond the building of origin. For example, Stour Street and Butchery Row in Canterbury, Marlborough High Street, Totnes clock tower, Edinburgh's Cowgate (FP&FEJ, March 2003, p.17) and the Rows in Chester have all suffered fires in recent years. The January 2002 fire at the historic Rows in Chester prompted the formation of a formal review panel of Chester City Council in partnership with Cheshire Fire Service and English Heritage. The objective was to identify the problems of fire safety in Chester's historic city centre and in other historic town centres; the measures that can be taken to address these problems; and the balance to be made between conservation and fire safety. The Panel is believed to be the first of its kind in England and is an excellent example of partnership working.