Government intervention needed at Bristol block, campaign group says

Residents returned to 98-flat Barton House around a year ago – some reluctantly – after being told by Bristol City Council it had been declared safe.

However, Tower Blocks UK said that testimonies collected from residents revealed a “community struggling with dire health and safety issues, exacerbated by systemic discrimination from the local authority”.

The campaign group’s new report comes just a few weeks after Bristol Medact, a campaign group of healthcare professionals, and tenant union Acorn, warned of ongoing health problems residents have been experiencing, such as respiratory disease, skin conditions and anxiety.

One resident told Tower Blocks UK that her family faced persistent disruptions from fire alarms and a gas leak, while damp and mould has affected her children’s health, causing school absences and anxiety. 

Another resident, a mother-of-two, said her family faced ongoing health issues due to damp and mould, leading to severe eczema and breathing difficulties in her young children.

One tenant reported respiratory issues in her two daughters due to damp living conditions, while her eldest daughter has developed asthma, the group reported. 

Another resident described “emotional distress caused by night-time fire alarms that disrupt her family’s sleep and cause panic and further trauma”, the report said.

Tower Blocks UK said: “Bristol City Council’s failure to act decisively and allow these residents to relocate, in our opinion, constitutes a grave human rights abuse and a total failure of social responsibility.”

Danielle Gregory, project manager at Tower Blocks UK, told Inside Housing: “If Bristol City Council doesn’t get a handle of the situation and come up with some resolutions, then MHCLG [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government] will have to take over.”

A spokesperson for Bristol City Council said: “We’ve acknowledged receipt of Tower Blocks UK’s letter and have confirmed we will provide a substantive response once the contents have been considered.

“We have already committed to update residents of Barton House on a number of recommendations received via another report sharing similar themes as the Tower Blocks UK letter. Work is underway to deliver this update by the end of the month, as agreed with residents and their representatives.”

The Ministry for Housing, Community and Local Government has been contacted for a response.

Earlier this month, Inside Housing reported that more than 200 LPS tower blocks still have a gas supply and may not have had recommended strengthening works carried out.