Theresa May today revealed that cladding on tower blocks has been assessed as “combustible”. In a statement in the commons this morning the prime minister revealed that tests in the wake of the Grenfell disaster had raised potential dangers in other buildings.
Around 600 high rises across England are using similar cladding to Grenfell Tower, said Downing Street, the BBC reported. Seven samples have been shown to be “combustible” and more results will be made public in the next 48 hours. Camden Council has started taking off the cladding at towers on its Chalcot estate, which used a similar cladding on the outside but a mineral wool insulation.
Tower blocks across the UK have been subjected to urgent tests after the blaze at Grenfell Tower, which left 79 people dead or missing, presumed dead. Experts have pointed to the type of cladding used on Grenfell as a potential reason why the blaze was able to spread so rapidly. Tests have been carried out amid fears that many more properties could be subject to similar risks
The prime minister said urgent steps were now being taken to ensure residents in those blocks were safe – and appealed for landlords who were concerned about their properties to come forward.
“Shortly before I came to the chamber I was informed that a number of these tests have come back as combustible,” Mrs May told MPs.
“The relevant local authorities and fire services have been informed and as I speak they are taking all possible steps to ensure buildings are safe and to inform affected residents.
“Immediately after this statement the Department for Communities and Local Government will contact any MPs whose constituents are affected.”
May told landlords who have concerns about their buildings to get samples tested. “We cannot and will not ask people to live in unsafe homes,” she said.
Communities secretary Sajid Javid is expected to make a further statement on the testing at the end of the day.
The news follows resignation of the chief executive of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. May said it was right that Nicholas Holgate had resigned.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said sprinklers should be fitted to all buildings.
“I ask the government to make available emergency funds so that councils can carry out immediate fire safety checks and install sprinklers, and the timetable for that be made known to residents,” he said.
“There is obviously a huge cost involved in removing and recladding blocks which have flammable materials included in them.
“That money must be made available absolutely immediately because it is a huge job of work.
“And when the prime minister says that those people who are in danger must be moved out of their properties, this is massive undertaking and a huge focus of government resources will have to go into it.”
Meanwhile, some of the survivors of the fire at Grenfell Tower are to be given homes at a £2bn Berekely Homes development which has been sold by the housebuilder at cost.
The government has acquired 68 new homes from St Edward, a joint venture between Berkeley and insurance firm Prudential, to rehouse survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire.
The homes will be located in the two-block affordable housing part of the scheme which is currently under construction.
However, Berkeley has said it will now fast-track the build to bring forward the completion date to the end of July.
Extra staff have been committed by St Edward and working hour restrictions are to be relaxed so that work can continue around the clock.
The mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats were purchased from St Edward for an undisclosed sum and are located 1/5 miles from Grenfell Tower.
Each home will be fully furnished and St Edward will provide liaison staff for each block. Residents will be able to live in the blocks on a permanent basis.
The Department for Communities and Local Government has committed to finding suitable accommodation in the local area for victims who lost their homes in the Grenfell Tower within a maximum of three weeks.
Sajid Javid said: “The residents of Grenfell Tower have been through some of the most harrowing and traumatic experiences imaginable and it is our duty to support them.
“Our priority is to get everyone who has lost their home permanently rehoused locally as soon as possible, so that they can begin to rebuild their lives.”
Tony Pidgley, chairman of the Berkeley Group, said: “We will work night and day to get these homes ready. We’ve got to start by finding each of them a home. Somewhere safe and supportive, close to their friends and the places they know, so they can start to rebuild their lives.”
