Approved Documents updated on toilet accommodation provisions

On 15 May 2024, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities published updates to two approved documents:

• Approved Document G: Sanitation, Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency; and
• Approved Document M: Access to and Use of Buildings - Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings.

The updates have not been incorporated into the Approved Documents yet, but are expected to be made in due course. The changes will apply from 1 October 2024.

The 2015 editions incorporating later amendments will continue to apply for these approved documents where a building notice or an initial notice has been given to, or a building control approval application with full plans made to, the relevant authority before 1 October 2024 and either the building work to which it relates:

• has started and is sufficiently progressed before that day; or
• is started and is sufficiently progressed within 18 months beginning on that day.

The changes relate to the new requirements for the provision of toilet accommodation, introduced by the Building (Amendment) (England) Regulations SI 2024/645.

From 1 October 2024, all new buildings (other than dwellings and some limited exceptions) and buildings going through a material change of use, must provide specific types of toilet accommodation. These must consist of:

• reasonable provision for male and female single-sex toilets; or
• where space precludes provision of single-sex toilets, universal toilets; and
• may consist of universal toilets in addition to single-sex toilets.

For more information on this subject, see:

• Amendments to Approved Document G: Sanitation, Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency;
• Amendments to Approved Document M: Access to and Use of Buildings - Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings;
• Approved Document G: Sanitation, Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency;
• Approved Document M: Access to and Use of Buildings - Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings;
• Building Regulations SI 2010/2214;
• Building (Amendment) (England) Regulations SI 2024/645.