Jones Hargreaves appoints partners to lead new fire consultancy

National commercial building, project and sustainability consultancy Jones Hargreaves has appointed Simon Benton and Stuart Bourne as partners to lead its newly launched Fire Consultancy service.

Based in Birmingham, the pair bring more than 36 years’ combined experience across fire risk assessment, fire engineering, technical consultancy and analytical roles.

The new consultancy will provide services including fire engineering support across all RIBA stages, Building Safety Act advice, fire risk assessments, fire safety management, technical due diligence and strategic advice.

Simon said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to influence fire safety strategies across a range of portfolios and schemes throughout the UK, as part of a holistic process. 

“Having the opportunity to operate a fire consultancy with real integrity from scratch alongside a trusted and established leader in the commercial property sector is a real privilege.”

Stuart added: “Being able to build this service from the ground up is really exciting. 

“With a fast-evolving regulatory landscape in fire regulations across both commercial and residential property sectors, it's essential that owners, occupiers, investors and developers stay abreast of what this means for their assets. 

“Making this an integral part of the multi-disciplinary expertise on offer at Jones Hargreaves will enable clients to move beyond compliance and embed fire safety as a strategic part of asset management. 

“This is key to developing a life cycle of safer communities and places to work with longevity against an ever-evolving landscape.”

Their appointments come amid growing demand for specialist fire safety expertise as legislation and building compliance requirements continue to evolve.

The pair will initially deliver the service nationally across commercial, residential and mixed-use property portfolios, with plans to grow the team and expand its expertise further.

Matthew Jones, founding partner of Jones Hargreaves, added: “We are focused on providing a seamless service for clients across every stage of a building’s lifecycle. 

“In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in demand for specialist fire safety advice, and it makes sense to bring this expertise in-house to ensure both new and existing clients have access to specialist fire safety expertise from the earliest stages of every project through to completion and ongoing asset management.

“Launching our Fire Consultancy is another important step in expanding our multi-disciplinary offer. 

“I’m pleased to welcome Simon and Stuart to the Jones Hargreaves team. 

“They have already made a positive impact on the business, and we look forward to seeing the opportunities ahead.”

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