Part M Stair Climbers for London Buildings: Accessible Retrofit Without Major Structural Change

Part M Stair Climbers for London Buildings: Accessible Retrofit Without Major Structural Change

Improving accessibility in an existing London building? A powered stair climber could provide a practical alternative where installing a lift, platform lift or permanent ramp is difficult.

Book a FREE London Stair Climber Access Assessment with The Stair Climbing Company

The Stair Climbing Company works with architects, facilities managers, access consultants, building owners and organisations across London to identify practical solutions for wheelchair access over existing stairs.

For a broader introduction to powered stair climbing technology and accessible building design, visit our Powered Stairclimber Complete Guide.

The Challenge of Making London’s Existing Buildings Accessible

London has one of the most diverse building stocks in the UK.

Modern office towers sit alongside Victorian townhouses. Georgian buildings have become offices and hotels. Former warehouses have become creative workspaces, restaurants and event venues. Historic schools and universities continue to operate from buildings designed generations before modern accessibility standards existed.

This character is part of what makes London unique.

It also creates significant challenges when buildings need to be made more accessible.

Creating step-free access within a new development can be considered from the earliest design stage. Retrofitting accessibility into an existing London building can be considerably more complicated.

There may be limited space for a ramp.

Installing a passenger lift may require extensive structural alteration.

A platform lift may affect circulation space or important architectural features.

A traditional stair lift may permanently reduce the usable width of a staircase.

Listed status or conservation considerations can introduce further constraints.

So what happens when a wheelchair user needs to access a building or move between levels and conventional solutions are difficult to achieve?

A powered stair climber may provide another option for the project team to consider.

Part M and Existing London Buildings

Part M of the Building Regulations addresses access to and use of buildings.

For architects, designers and building owners working on retrofit projects, the Government’s Approved Document M Volume 2 provides guidance relating to buildings other than dwellings.

The requirements surrounding an existing building depend on the nature of the work being undertaken.

Material alterations and certain changes of use can bring accessibility requirements into consideration, including arrangements for moving between levels.

This is important for London because an enormous amount of development involves adapting, refurbishing and repurposing buildings rather than simply constructing new ones.

However, accessibility should not be approached as a box-ticking exercise.

The question should be:

How can we create the best practical accessible journey through this particular building?

In some buildings the answer may be a passenger lift.

Elsewhere it could be a platform lift or appropriately designed ramp.

But where the existing structure significantly restricts these options, a Part M stair climber strategy may be worth investigating.

A stair climber itself should not simply be described as making a building “Part M compliant”. Its suitability needs to be considered within the wider design, building regulations and accessibility strategy for the individual project.

Why London Retrofit Projects Are Different

Space is valuable throughout London.

That simple fact has a major influence on accessibility.

Consider a traditional commercial building in Westminster.

The entrance may have several external steps before reaching reception. Internally there may be a main staircase connecting several floors, with another short flight leading to a basement or mezzanine.

Creating a permanent ramp outside could require more space than is physically available.

A passenger lift could involve substantial structural intervention.

Installing a platform lift might affect the appearance or function of an important entrance.

Similar problems occur across Kensington, Chelsea, Mayfair, Shoreditch, Soho, Camden and the City of London.

Even relatively modern buildings can contain split levels and short flights of stairs that create significant barriers for wheelchair users.

This is where a portable powered stair climber can potentially offer a very different approach.

Rather than rebuilding the environment around the accessibility equipment, the equipment can potentially be selected to work with the existing environment.

What Is a Powered Stair Climber?

A powered stair climber is a mobile accessibility device designed to transport a person safely over a suitable staircase with assistance from a trained operator.

Unlike a conventional stair lift, it does not normally require a permanent rail to be attached to the staircase.

Unlike a platform lift, it does not necessarily require a dedicated lifting structure.

And unlike a permanent ramp, it does not require a large area of the building to be surrendered to achieve a gradual change in level.

Depending on the model, the stair climber can potentially be stored away when it is not required.

Some powered stair climbers incorporate their own seating system, while other systems are designed to accommodate compatible wheelchairs.

This second approach can be particularly valuable because it may allow the user to remain in their own wheelchair rather than transferring into another seat.

Read more about the technology in our Powered Stairclimber Complete Guide.

Part M Stair Climbers in London Retrofit Projects

When architects or building owners search for a Part M stair climber, they are usually trying to solve a much broader problem.

They have an inaccessible building and need to establish what can realistically be achieved.

The first step should therefore be assessment.

What is preventing access?

Is it the entrance?

Is there a split level between reception and the main building?

Are meeting rooms located upstairs?

Are accessible toilets on another level?

Does a basement contain facilities that everyone needs to reach?

Could the barrier be removed permanently?

If not, what alternatives are available?

Only once the complete accessible journey has been considered should individual pieces of equipment be specified.

For some London retrofit projects, a powered stair climber can become part of that strategy.

London Offices and Commercial Buildings

London’s commercial property market provides an excellent example.

Many organisations occupy buildings that were never designed around contemporary expectations of inclusive access.

A company might lease several floors of a converted townhouse or historic commercial building.

The entrance may contain steps.

There may be a passenger lift serving the principal floors but steps between the entrance and lift lobby.

There could be a mezzanine meeting room inaccessible from the lift.

A basement conference space may only be reachable by stairs.

These relatively small changes in level can create disproportionately large accessibility problems.

A powered stair climber in a London office can potentially overcome one or more of these barriers without requiring major structural alterations.

The suitability of the solution will always depend on the staircase, wheelchair, user and operational arrangements within the building.

Stair Climbers in Listed and Heritage Buildings

London’s heritage is another reason portable accessibility technology deserves consideration.

Historic buildings cannot always be modified in the same way as modern buildings.

Architectural features, staircases, entrances and internal spaces may contribute directly to the character and significance of a property.

This can create tension between improving accessibility and preserving historic fabric.

However, conservation and accessibility should not automatically be viewed as opposing objectives.

Historic England’s guidance on easy access to historic buildings provides useful information for those considering accessibility improvements within historic environments.

A portable stair climber can sometimes offer an attractive approach because the solution may require substantially less permanent intervention than installing fixed lifting equipment.

The existing staircase remains fundamentally unchanged.

There is no permanent rail attached to the wall.

There may be no requirement for a lift shaft.

And the equipment can potentially be removed or stored when not required.

This can make powered stair climbers for heritage buildings in London particularly interesting to architects and access consultants exploring sensitive retrofit strategies.

Part M and the Equality Act

Another important point for London building owners is that Part M and the Equality Act should not be treated as interchangeable.

Part M forms part of the Building Regulations.

The Equality Act creates broader legal obligations relating to discrimination and reasonable adjustments.

Government guidance specifically clarifies the relationship between the two.

Read the Government’s Part M and Equality Act clarification.

Therefore, simply completing building work in accordance with Building Regulations does not necessarily answer every question relating to accessibility.

Good retrofit design should consider how people will actually experience and use the building.

Inclusive Design in the City of London

Inclusive design is particularly important as London’s commercial buildings continue to evolve.

The City of London provides guidance on inclusive design and references resources including Approved Document M and BS 8300.

For architects and developers working within the Square Mile, accessibility can be challenging because modern expectations frequently have to be incorporated into buildings with complex existing layouts.

The accessible journey might begin on the pavement, continue through an historic entrance and then encounter another change in level before the passenger lift can even be reached.

Solving the problem therefore requires more than looking at whether the building has a lift.

The whole journey matters.

This is where early assessment can make an enormous difference.

A Stair Climber as an Alternative to a Stair Lift

Another common challenge in London is finding a suitable alternative to a stair lift.

Traditional stair lifts are extremely useful in the right environment.

However, they are not always appropriate for commercial, educational, heritage or public buildings.

A permanent stair lift rail can affect the usable width of the staircase.

A wheelchair user may also need to transfer from their wheelchair onto the stair lift seat and then have another wheelchair available at the destination.

A portable powered stair climber operates differently.

There is normally no permanent rail.

The equipment can be stored when it is not required.

And with an appropriate non-transfer system, some wheelchair users can remain in their own compatible wheelchair.

This can make a powered stair climber a useful stair lift alternative for London buildings where flexibility is particularly important.

Could a Stair Climber Be an Alternative to a Platform Lift?

A platform lift can provide an excellent accessibility solution and should certainly be considered where appropriate.

But retrofit buildings can make installation difficult.

A platform lift requires sufficient physical space, appropriate structural conditions and a suitable position within the accessible journey.

In a tight London building, finding that space may be extremely challenging.

A powered stair climber does not replace every application for a platform lift.

However, where a platform lift cannot reasonably be accommodated, assessing whether the existing staircase could safely support a stair climbing solution gives the project team another option.

This is why we prefer to talk about accessibility solutions rather than simply selling equipment.

The objective is to solve the barrier.

Non-Transfer Stair Climbers for Wheelchair Users

One particularly important area of stair climbing technology is the non-transfer wheelchair stair climber.

Many wheelchair users rely on carefully configured seating systems.

Their wheelchair may provide postural support, pressure management or other features specific to the individual.

Transferring into a separate stair lift seat can therefore be inconvenient, uncomfortable or inappropriate.

Subject to compatibility and individual assessment, a non-transfer stair climber can allow the wheelchair to be secured to the machine.

The user can then remain seated in their own wheelchair while a trained operator negotiates the suitable staircase.

For architects and access consultants considering London buildings, this can significantly change the conversation around difficult internal staircases.

Assessment Is Essential

A photograph of a staircase can provide useful initial information.

But it should not replace a proper assessment.

At The Stair Climbing Company, we consider the actual environment in which the equipment will operate.

That includes staircase width, tread depth, riser height, stair angle, nosings, surfaces, turns and landing dimensions.

But we don’t stop at the stairs.

We also look at doors, corridors, approach routes, manoeuvring areas and storage.

The wheelchair and user requirements are equally important.

Different wheelchairs have different di