SOUTHWARK COUNCIL has had ‘less than half’ of the blocks clad in combustible materials in the borough complete the process.
Southwark News reported on the latest data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as to the progress made in removing aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding from high rise flat blocks nationwide. The news outlet noted that over three years since the Grenfell Tower fire, ‘less than half of Southwark’s buildings with dangerous cladding have had the materials removed’, with between 11 and 20 still clad in materials ‘unlikely to meet’ regulations.
Of those, ‘between six and ten’ are yet to complete remedial work, including the L&Q administered Arch Street block, which residents ‘were forced to leave’ in 2019. Other developers were given planning permission to remove cladding from the Bermondsey Square and Great Suffolk Street developments, while none of the council owned blocks taller than 18m are clad in ACM.
Despite this, the council – as part of a ‘rolling fire safety programme’ – is testing fascias for all blocks taller than 18m, and ‘will undertake works to address any identified issues’, as well as replacing wooden sections on a number of buildings.