logo
Labour-run council orders tenants to remove balcony washing lines

Labour-run council orders tenants to remove balcony washing lines

Telegraph16-07-2025
Tenants at a council-owned block of flats in Kent have criticised new rules that restrict washing lines and furniture on their balconies.
Labour-controlled Gravesham borough council cited concerns about 'combustible' materials on the outside of properties in Northfleet as its reason for imposing the regulations.
But residents have complained that the order, which also covers balcony furniture, is 'unreasonable'.
Tracy, 45, who did not wish to give her surname, said the council told the residents to 'take everything off' their balconies because of 'fire safety'.
'More emphasis on fire risks'
She said one family over the road from her had been told to take their washing lines down, adding: 'At the end of the day, they are saying plastic chairs can combust... Have you ever seen a plastic chair combust?
'I have a chair and table on my balcony, and I've already had to take my wooden fence down because [the council] said they would take it down and charge me if I didn't. I'm paying for a balcony I can't use.'
The council said in a statement that 'more emphasis is being placed on the risk of external fire spread' following the Grenfell Tower tragedy of 2017.
But resident Steve Reely, 61, said the new rules were 'petty'.
He said: '[The council] leave lots of rubbish all over town but we have to keep our balconies clean. In some respects, it's petty. It's like someone is trying to justify their job.
'There are greater fire risks than our personal balconies. It's ridiculous.'
Residents said a letter from the council states that items such as 'screening around metal fencing, belongings made of wood, plastic, textiles and any other materials' are a 'fire risk', and they had been instructed to remove them immediately.
Karen Noakes, 57, said: 'All I've got on my balcony is a kid's bike and scooter and two washing lines. What's the problem with that? They're not a fire hazard.
She suggested she would remove her washing lines 'if the council are going to pay for me to use my dryer'.
A council spokesman said: 'Our tenants and leaseholders have recently been contacted by us regarding fire safety issues particularly around balconies.
'During fire risk assessments carried out at Shepherd Street, our assessors found numerous balconies with combustible screening fitted, which could allow flames to spread vertically up the building, and advised the screening should be removed.
'Since the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, much more emphasis is being placed on the risk of external fire spread.'
Advice from fire chiefs
The spokesman added that the National Fire Chiefs Council advises against 'barbecues, fire pits, patio heaters, or chimneys on balconies, and recommends keeping balconies free from clutter, combustible materials, and flammable items'.
'We have recently updated our building safety advice for tenants, which includes advice on balcony fire safety and a comprehensive but not exhaustive list of items that have the potential to cause or help the spread of fire, and which are therefore not permitted on balconies,' the spokesman said.
They added that requests to residents 'to keep their balconies clear of flammable material and clutter' is intended to 'minimise the risk' of serious incidents.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Passengers evacuate Boeing jet after tyres blow out
Passengers evacuate Boeing jet after tyres blow out

Telegraph

time43 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

Passengers evacuate Boeing jet after tyres blow out

Passengers were forced to evacuate from a Boeing flight after the plane's tyres blew out on the runway. American Airlines Flight 3023 was preparing to leave Denver International Airport for Miami on Saturday when it 'experienced a mechanical issue' while accelerating before take-off, the airline said. The incident raises further questions over Boeing's safety record following a number of major failures. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement on Sunday that the crew onboard the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane 'reported a possible landing gear incident during departure' at around 2.45pm (9.45pm BST) on Saturday. All 173 passengers and six crew 'de-planed safely' but one passenger sustained a minor injury and was taken to a hospital for evaluation, the airline said. Video shows passengers using the evacuation slide to leave the plane as smoke billows from the fuselage, some carrying small children. Several people can be seen falling onto the tarmac as they land. Mark Tsurkis, 50, a passenger aboard the flight, told ABC News he heard 'a loud boom' as the plane was about to take off. 'I said, 'That's not good',' Tsurkis said, at which point the plane began to slow down, he said, and passengers could see one of the wheels pass by. 'When the plane stopped about 30 seconds to a minute later, somebody said, 'Smoke, fire.' And then a lot of people, of course, started panicking,' Tsurkis said. Shay Armistead, a 17-year-old passenger who was headed to Santiago, Chile, for a ski trip told CNN that Saturday's ordeal was 'kind of traumatising.' As the plane moved down the runway, passengers heard a loud bang and believed the tyre popped, Armistead said. 'The plane started vibrating and shaking really bad. We started tilting to the left side of the runway, and then we heard the sound of the wind from them lifting up the brakes of the plane and slamming on them really hard.' The airline said: 'We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologise to our customers for their experience.' The FAA said it was investigating the incident. Boeing has been heavily criticised in recent years over a string of failures. In June the National Transportation Safety Board blasted Boeing's safety culture and its failure to stop a cabin panel getting sucked out mid-air during a flight in January 2024. The board said the company failed to install four key bolts in a new Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 during production. Sunday's evacuation also comes amid concerns over aviation safety in the United States after a string of recent accidents and near misses. On Friday a Southwest Airlines flight plunged mid-air to avoid colliding with another aircraft while en route to Las Vegas, injuring two flight attendants. In January, a mid-air collision between a commercial aircraft approaching Ronald Reagan Airport near downtown Washington and a military helicopter killed 67 people. In May, US President Donald Trump's administration announced plans to overhaul its 'antiquated' air traffic control system, which suffers from a shortage of controllers in FAA-managed towers. The government has laid off hundreds of FAA employees as part of its plan to slash the federal workforce.

Huge blaze breaks out at factory with 100 firefighters raced to scene & thick plumes of smoke billowing through sky
Huge blaze breaks out at factory with 100 firefighters raced to scene & thick plumes of smoke billowing through sky

The Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Sun

Huge blaze breaks out at factory with 100 firefighters raced to scene & thick plumes of smoke billowing through sky

OVER 100 firefighters are tackling a massive blaze that has engulfed a factory in Birmingham. Witnesses reported spotting huge plumes of smoke billowing from the four factory units on Great Bridge Street in Great Bridge at around 10.40am today. West Midlands Fire Service sent 15 crews to the scene and members of the public have been told to avoid the area. There have been no reported casualties but 'several' homes were evacuated. A West Midlands Fire Service spokesperson said: "We have 15 crews in attendance at Great Bridge Street, Great Bridge, where they have responded to a Factory Fire. "Please avoid the area, where possible."

At least 1 dead & 2 missing after plane crashes into sea off California sparking major operation as debris washes ashore
At least 1 dead & 2 missing after plane crashes into sea off California sparking major operation as debris washes ashore

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

At least 1 dead & 2 missing after plane crashes into sea off California sparking major operation as debris washes ashore

A MAJOR search and rescue mission is underway after a plane crashed into the sea off the coast of California leaving at least one dead and two missing. Authorities have confirmed that a private plane plummeted into the water in Pacific Grove at around 10:40 pm on Saturday night. 4 4 4 The Beech 95-B55 was en route to Monterey Regional Airport from San Carlos Airport where it had departed around 10:07 pm, according to Flight Radar. It is believed to have ran into trouble shortly after take off with data from the Aviation Safety Network showing that it "crashed into the sea during a night-time approach to Monterey Airport." "On approach the aircraft entered a descending left-hand turn. During the turn the aircraft climbed again before entering a high-speed descent until it crashed into the sea about 22:38 hours," per the aviation outlet. Now, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, Pacific Grove Police, the Coast Guard, and CAL Fire are engaged in the search for those who were onboard the two-engine aircraft. The Coast Guard has said that three people were on board the plane, per KSBW Action News. In an update, a reporter from KION News who is at the scene, said that the body of one person has been recovered as divers continue to search the area. "This is now a recovery mission," he told viewers as divers could be seen in the water. Responders received a lost radar alert as well a flurry of 911 calls from horrified locals who said they heard an engine revving or a loud noise before a huge splash in the ocean near Asilomar. On Facebook, one local said: "I'm dog sitting for my daughter in Pacific Grove. I'm laying in bed around 10PM and I hear a low flying airplane overhead. "I'm wondering to myself 'it sounds like it might hit her house'. Then I hear a sudden splat and it goes silent." Moment 150 terrified passengers flee plane engulfed in smoke after landing gear issue sparked fire and injured one Another told KION News that a loud noise woke him up and it "sounded like a plane doing stunts over my roof - I thought I was dreaming". Emergency officials believe the aircraft plummeted into the sea between 200 meters and a quarter of a mile off the coastline. As the recovery operation continues, debris from the horror crash has started washing ashore including luggage, seat cushions, and parts of the aircraft, a CAL FIRE spokesperson told the Daily Mail. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard said that numerous lifeboats and a helicopter were deployed minutes after reports of the crash came in. It is not yet known what caused the crash but the National Transportation Safety Board will start to assess the debris for possible answers. The U.S. Sun has reached out to the Pacific Grove Police Department and the Monterey County Sheriff's Office for an update. The identities of those on board have not been released. Locals have shared on Facebook how the news reminded them of the plane crash that killed folk and country star John Denver. Denver died on October 12, 1997, at the age of 53 when his plane crashed into Monterey Bay.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store