Latest news with #RoyalArtilleryQuays
Scottish Sun
14-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Our tower block is covered in flammable cladding EIGHT YEARS after Grenfell – the council is gambling with our lives
All eight buildings were deemed a high fire risk, with an investigation pointing to "poor workmanship" 'WE'VE WARNED THEM' Our tower block is covered in flammable cladding EIGHT YEARS after Grenfell – the council is gambling with our lives RESIDENTS living in eight London tower blocks - once branded 'unsafe' by Sir Keir Starmer - have accused their Labour-run council of ignoring life-threatening fire risks. Eight years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, locals of Royal Artillery Quays (RAQ) in Thamesmead, east London, say that Greenwich Council is 'allowing history to repeat itself'. Advertisement 14 Resident Richard Partridge holding up a cut-out section of the external Polystyrene cladding Credit: Andrew Styczynski 14 All eight tower blocks were given a 'high fire risk' rating in a report three years ago Credit: Andrew Styczynski 14 Residents have accused Greenwich Council of "ignoring" the life threatening risks Credit: Andrew Styczynski After five years, developers are finally set to replace external cladding this month, but leaseholders have warned that internal fire safety issues are still being ignored - putting their lives in danger. Pointing to the Grenfell tragedy, which claimed the lives of 72 people, RAQ Residents Association chair Stephen Day slammed councillors for 'abandoning' him and his neighbours. Speaking to The Sun, he fumed: "The inquiry said that concerns from residents regarding building safety were completely quashed and rubbished. "It essentially said that, going forwards, residents need to be listened to whether you agree with them or not. Advertisement "Greenwich Council is failing. It should be listening to its residents and that is just not happening. "It is belittling this campaign that we have fought so hard for over the past five years. "We just want to try and get these buildings safe." The current project to remedy the external cladding was only agreed after a damning 2022 report from engineering firm Urban Change. Advertisement All eight buildings were deemed a "high fire risk", with the investigation pointing to "poor workmanship" in the installation of the external wall insulation (EWI). It found that some fire break fittings were missing, they were made of plastic instead of steel and the expanded polystyrene (EPS) render was not thick enough. Government 'failed', 'dishonest' firms & 'indifferent' landlords – damning report into Grenfell tragedy which killed 72 Works to replace 90% of the building facade were approved by the independent building safety regulator and will be undertaken by developers Barratt, who originally built the RAQ complex in 2002. But residents argue there are major internal defects in the tower blocks that will remain untouched, sparking huge concerns. Advertisement They pointed to a fire stopping survey completed by officials in 2019, commissioned by RAQ property manager Rendall & Rittner. Greenwich Council is failing. It should be listening to its residents and that is just not happening. It is belittling this campaign that we have fought so hard for over the past five years. We just want to try and get these buildings safe. Stephen Day The purpose of the inspection was to test whether internal areas and rooms had sufficient structural integrity to prevent fires spreading from one part of the building to another. It revealed that three out of the eight tower blocks did not meet the minimum statutory safety requirements. As a result, the inspectors reported that any fire at the properties could result in "significant loss" and potentially lead to prosecution of the responsible person(s). Advertisement The cost to replace similar issues discovered at the London Olympic Village is rumoured to be £432million. Another worry for the leaseholders is that the single stair fire escape - the only route out in the event of a fire - is surrounded by "highly combustible" grey panels on each floor. 14 Works to replace external cladding in the complex will begin this month Credit: Andrew Styczynski 14 Stephen Day, chair of RAQ committee Credit: Andrew Styczynski Advertisement The Urban Change report argued that the aluminium corner panels in the stairwell should only be replaced on the first two storeys This is despite the insulation used in these panels having a Euroclass E rating - one of the highest levels of combustibility according to the fire class system. The buildings garnered national attention in 2021 when Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer stood outside the towers and described the situation as 'obviously wrong'. Speaking outside the tower blocks, he said: 'We need a task force to put some energy behind this. Advertisement How Grenfell tower disaster unfolded By Summer Raemason THE Grenfell Tower fire which killed 72 people was the result of "decades of failure", a long-awaited report into the blaze has found last year. The west London tower block was covered in combustible products because of the "systematic dishonesty" of firms who made and sold the cladding and insulation, the inquiry chairman said. Sir Martin Moore-Bick called out "deliberate and sustained" manipulation of fire-safety testing, misrepresentation of test data and misleading of the market. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the report identified "substantial and widespread failings", adding that the Government will carefully consider its recommendations "to ensure that such a tragedy cannot occur again". The seven-volume and near-1,700 page final report of the inquiry into the disaster laid out in damning detail how those in positions of responsibility had not heeded or acted on warnings from earlier fires. 'At the moment almost everybody is saying it's a bad situation, but it's not really my responsibility. 'The result is that innocent leaseholders here, who are living in accommodation which is unsafe, are being asked to pick up the bill. 'That is obviously wrong and if it is obviously wrong, do something about it. 'Three and a half years after Grenfell, this is not on. Most people would not believe this is the situation we're in. Advertisement 'We owe it to all those affected to do something about it.' 14 Mr Day highlighted the 'highly combustible' panels Credit: Andrew Styczynski 14 The only fire escape stairwell is coated in the grey panels Credit: Andrew Styczynski 14 Residents claim that work to fix internal issues is not going ahead because the council refuses to support them Credit: Andrew Styczynski Advertisement Locals allege that plans to fix the internal defects are not going ahead because Greenwich Council refuses to support their claims that regulations were breached at the time of construction. In an email seen by The Sun, initial plans appeared to show a fire door between the tower entrance and the lift lobby. But when our reporters were taken for a tour of the property, it was clear that no such door had ever existed. Ongoing battle Catherine Dugué, who has lived in Tideslea Tower for more than two decades, fumed: 'It never occurred to me that our local council would not support us, but rather fight against us. Advertisement 'With the murderous tragedy of Grenfell Tower, and the shock that our homes too have unsafe cladding, I fully expected that the council would support and help us. 'We need Greenwich Council to support us and the internal defects need to be fully remediated. 'The council needs to retract its report that there was no evidence of building regulation breaches at the time of construction. "I was there. I know the staircase was not enclosed.' Advertisement In a letter to all residents, Greenwich Council said: "The Council was asked if it could exercise power under the Building Act 1984 to ensure that necessary remediation works were carried out. "The Council's position is that there is no evidence to support action under the act. "This is not to say that there are no issues with the construction of RAQ; indeed, everyone agrees remediation works are necessary. 14 Smoke hindered rescue efforts as fires continued to burn with families trapped throughout the building Credit: Getty Images Advertisement 14 The west London tower block was covered in combustible products 14 Fire ripped through Grenfell Tower in Kensington, West London, on June 14, 2017 Credit: Rex Features "That position does not undermine the role of the BSR or the fact that remediation works have now been agreed. "Building safety laws have changed since the original construction, and our focus is on moving forward to ensure the works agreed are completed within the timescale." Advertisement Mast Quay, another development less than two miles away, was ordered to be torn down in 2023 and rebuilt after Greenwich Council said its towers were too different from approved plans. Developer Comer Homes Group breached 26 planning conditions and allowed renters to move in, despite warnings to keep the flats empty while an investigation was ongoing. And now residents have questioned why those towers were ordered to be demolished, while no similar action has been taken against the builders of RAQ. It comes after an announcement last year that the RAQ developers would join a £150m Government-led venture to build thousands of homes across the country. Advertisement The partnership brings together Barratt, the UK's leading housebuilder and Homes England, the Government body responsible for housebuilding. A Barratt Redrow spokesperson said: 'We are fully committed to remediating any fire safety issues identified in the original construction of these buildings. "This is at no cost to leaseholders, in line with the Developer Remediation Contract we signed in 2023, and we look forward to starting work later this month, subject to all relevant permissions being in place.' Council response A spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Greenwich said: 'On the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, our thoughts as always are with the communities impacted by the disaster. We stand in solidarity with the Grenfell community. Advertisement 'Royal Artillery Quays is a private residential development built by Barratt Homes. "Although it does not have the same cladding as Grenfell Tower, we share the same concerns as residents about fire safety and the uncertainty they have faced due to the delay in cladding being replaced. "The Government's Building Safety Regulator (BSR) was set up in response to Grenfell disaster to ensure that there was a single regulator and that the buildings it is responsible for, including Royal Artillery Quays, meet the highest and most recent safety standards. "Everyone in Royal Greenwich should have a safe and secure home and we welcome the fact that action is now happening: the BSR has now approved Barratt's remediation plans and work will take place later this month." Advertisement Do you know more? Email 14 Three out of the eight tower blocks did not meet minimum safety requirements Credit: Andrew Styczynski 14 RAQ developers have joined a £150m Government-led venture to build thousands of homes across the country Credit: Andrew Styczynski 14 Locals have pointed to a missing fire door as evidence of failings during construction Credit: Andrew Styczynski
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Works to replace unsafe 'high fire risk' cladding on Thamesmead blocks
A housing developer will replace the unsafe 'high fire risk' cladding of eight Thamesmead tower blocks but residents remain frustrated, feeling the job is only half-finished. Residents of Royal Artillery Quays (RAQ) have campaigned for over half a decade to make their home safe after several investigations identified building defects in the residential complex that posed a serious fire risk. As previously reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), chartered engineering and advisory firm Urban Change gave all eight buildings a high fire risk rating in 2022 primarily due to the 'poor workmanship' it identified in the installation of the external wall insulation (EWI) system. Urban Change found that fire break fixings were missing, not regularly spaced and made of plastic and not steel, making them more susceptible to failure if exposed to fire. The investigation also discovered that the expanded polystyrene (EPS) render system in the EWI wasn't thick enough, with the report stating: 'This could lead to early exposure of the combustible insulation to fire.' Barratt Developments, the original developer of the eight block complex that was built in 2002, has announced that work to remediate the problems found within RAQ's external walls will begin this month, at no cost to leaseholders. These works are based on the recommendations of the Urban Change report and have recently been approved by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). A Barratt spokesperson said: 'As the original developer for Royal Artillery Quays, we remain committed to remediating any fire safety issues identified in the original construction of the buildings, at no cost to leaseholders, in line with our obligations under the Developer Remediation Contract we signed in March 2023. 'Now that the external wall remediation designs have been approved by the Building Safety Regulator, we look forward to starting works in mid-late June.' The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that the work will involve the removal and replacement of the EPS render system contained within RAQ's EWI that covers approximately 90 per cent of the overall development building façade, as well as any other items identified as requiring remediation. Although pleased that this work will begin soon, RAQ residents still fear the job is not done as no plan to remedy problems found in the complex's internal walls has been offered. RAQ's property manager Rendall & Rittner commissioned fire safety inspectors to conduct a fire stopping survey at three of the eight tower blocks in 2019. The purpose of the survey was to test whether the internal sections and rooms within the tower blocks had sufficient structural integrity to prevent fires spreading from one part of the building to another. In a report seen by the LDRS, the inspectors stated: 'Our survey establishes that the areas, as surveyed, currently do not meet the minimum statutory requirements, and without remedial attention it is conceivable that any fire incident could result in significant loss and possible prosecution of The Responsible Person(s) and their individual Duty Holders.' RAQ resident George Boyd said: 'Crucially, the internal remediation work has not yet been approved. "We are aware of the potential for extensive costs, as evidenced by the £432 million spent to rectify similar internal defects at Olympic Village. 'Disturbingly, fire safety reports for RAQ, including the Gresham IMS report, highlight the serious nature of these internal defects, even suggesting the possibility of prosecutions in the event of a fire.' Mr Boyd also fears that the external wall remediation work won't go far enough either, as Urban Change stated that only the first two storeys of aluminium corner panels on RAQ's fire escape staircases would need to be replaced, despite the insulation of these panels having a Euroclass rating of E, the second most combustible rating in the fire class system. Urban Change said: 'The other corner panels higher up the stair core are not being replaced as there are no ignition sources externally or internally.' Mr Boyd was critical of this, claiming that this decision will condemn RAQ residents to permanently higher insurance. He said: 'While the external wall remediation is approved, we are deeply concerned that combustible materials, now prohibited in new constructions, will remain within our fire escape stairwells. 'Insurers have indicated that this will lead to permanently high insurance premiums, likely further increasing our already substantial monthly service charges. Furthermore, real estate experts have advised that this partial remediation, sanctioned by the BSR, is likely to have a significant negative impact on the value of our properties. 'As a long-term resident nearing retirement, my flat represents my life investments, and this continued devaluation is a major worry.' Another RAQ resident Sue McDougall said the remediation work 'will not make me feel safe' due to the lack of internal work being carried out. She said: 'Am I and other residents celebrating? Unfortunately, the answer from many of us is not yet.' Steve Day, chair of the Royal Artillery Quays Residents association, has been campaigning to rectify the fire safety problems at RAQ for over five years. He has been critical of Greenwich Council for not backing residents' claims that Barratt breached building regulations during the development's construction over 20 years ago. He said: 'We welcome the work starting on the external wall remediation, but are concerned that the internal remediation hasn't yet been scoped and signed off. 'The undermining of all our evidence by the council of building safety breaches at the time of construction severely hampers our campaign to ensure our internal remediations are done to the standards that are required.' Mr Day referred to an email seen by the LDRS that was sent to him by Greenwich councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan on April 22 which stated: 'There is no evidence to suggest that the works were in breach of the Building Regulations applicable at the time of construction.' In response to Barratt's announcement that the BSR had approved the EWI remediation work, a Greenwich Council spokesperson said: 'We believe strongly that everyone in Royal Greenwich should have a safe and secure home. 'Royal Artillery Quays is a private development, and its cladding is the developer's responsibility. "We will continue to engage with residents and stakeholders as appropriate to ensure necessary action is taken. 'While we remain neutral in terms of the building's original construction, we're pleased a scheme of work, proposed by the developer, has now been agreed by the Building Safety Regulator and we understand that works are due to begin by the end of June 2025 to bring all buildings to the BSR standards. 'There are no specific powers available to the council to speed up the developer's process. Our priority is ensuring a swift resolution, mediating where appropriate, to ensure the works agreed between the developer and BSR are completed.'
