Located in the centre of Dartford, Copperhouse Green is a major regeneration project by Bellway. Close to shops, restaurants, and the train station, while offering views of the 26-acre Central Park, the location is perfect for first-time buyers, families, and anyone looking to commute to central London.
Since 2021, GBS Fire Protection has been leading the firestopping across multiple phases. The team remains actively engaged on site, as of October 2025.
As the chosen service penetration sealing manufacturer, we have been working alongside GBS Fire Protection and other key parties to deliver this project.
The objective was clear: engage early, plan effectively, and build safely to ensure compliant buildings that protect people and property.
What was the initial task in this project?
At the start of the project, GBS Fire Protection was responsible for finding properly tested solutions for service penetrations, especially for a soil vent pipe (SVP) penetrating a hollow core floor – a challenge others had difficulty finding a compliant solution for.
What solutions did we reach to resolve any issues?
Knowing that Quelfire offers an ever-increasing range of tested solutions for various scenarios and substrates, GBS Fire Protection collaborated with us during the design phase to develop a set of tested details that would address the different scenarios they might encounter on-site.
By working this way, GBS was able to give the construction team a clear understanding of how the firestopping would be implemented and what would be required to achieve a tested solution.
Guidance on the spatial coordination of M&E services was provided to the trades working ahead of the firestopping, since their role also played an important part in achieving effective passive fire protection.
Early engagement is key to ensuring buildings are designed to be constructed with properly fire-tested solutions. By involving us early in the project, we were able to assist GBS Fire Protection with a set of tested details, including the previously challenging solution for the SVP penetrations.
What kind of success did the client enjoy with our services/products?
Due to our wide range of tested details, we have been able to solely support GBS throughout the project so far. The team reported that having a single source of guidance makes things easier on site and smooths the coordination of paperwork and handover.
Mantas Blyze, Senior Contracts Manager at GBS Fire Protection, said: “Quelfire’s technical support and documentation have been crucial to the way we work and plan our projects. They enable us to collaborate effectively with our clients and adjoining trades, ensuring potential issues are identified and resolved before reaching site.”
In 2022, a fire occurred in the bin store of Block B. Because the products were installed in line with the test evidence, there was minimal damage, and the fire was contained.
As a result of the fire, GBS Fire Protection was instructed to remove and replace some of the firestopping, mainly around the soil vent pipes (SVPs) where they penetrate the slab and block wall, as well as along the perimeter.
Philip Ratcliffe, Preconstruction Manager at GBS Fire Protection, said: “While we hope our fire protection systems are never put to the test, it is reassuring to see them perform exactly as intended when they are. In this instance, the firestopping measures effectively contained the fire, preventing its spread and protecting both lives and property.”
Ratcliffe further added: “The team at Quelfire has been instrumental in getting this project on track. The use of the QuelSelector tool has been key to showing the client and other trades the requirements, in particular spacing guidance, of the firestopping.
This was one of the first projects we worked on for Bellway, which allowed us to demonstrate how we work as a business. The best compliment you can receive is being asked for the next phase.”
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Do you need more support when it comes to firestopping?
> View our technical support and resources
> Download our White Paper, ‘Early Engagement in Firestopping’
And, as always, if you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact technical@quelfire.co.uk.
