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Half of high rises could get sprinkler retrofit
Half of England’s social housing high rises could have sprinkler systems retrofitted as councils and housing associations spend hundreds of millions on fire safety works, exclusive research has found.
Inside Housing contacted all the country’s major social landlords that own high rises to ask about fire safety programmes six months on from the devastating Grenfell Tower fire.
Based on the data gathered, the sector’s projected spend on fire safety works initiated since the 14 June tragedy is more than £500m, though the true figure is likely to be significantly higher.
The 86 councils and housing associations which responded own 2,905 residential buildings above six storeys – over half of the estimated more than 4,000 social housing high rises in England.
For 1,425 of these high rises, or 49%, landlords either already have sprinkler systems installed (50), have plans to install them (561), or are considering doing so (814).
If all these retrofits were to push ahead, the total bill would be around £300m, though that figure does not include 11 organisations which said they did not yet know the potential cost.
Owners of another 943 blocks are awaiting recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s building regulations review and the Grenfell public inquiry before taking further steps, while sprinklers have been ruled out in just 200 blocks.
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David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said the figures demonstrate that “all of the necessary remedial works that need to take place across the country constitute a large-scale national programme of work”.
“Government urgently needs to lead a national, co-ordinated response to ensure resources are prioritised strategically,” he said.
Work to remove dangerous cladding has been carried out by 31 of the landlords responding to the survey on 75 blocks at a combined cost of at least £47.6m so far.
And 56 said they are spending an estimated £157.1m undertaking other additional fire safety work, such as renewing fire risk assessments and installing fire doors.
“The cost of such fire safety works may well increase substantially when councils see the full recommendations of Dame Judith Hackitt’s review and the outcome of the Grenfell public inquiry,” said John Bibby, chief executive of the Association of Retained Council Housing.
He called on the government to “ensure that council landlords have access to the necessary resources to finance essential fire safety works in high rise blocks without detriment” to other investment in housing.
Of the survey respondents, 31 landlords said they would consider doing extra fire safety work or that other housing investment programmes would not have to be compromised if the government were to provide funding. Six, in charge of 181 blocks, said this would include installing sprinklers.
And 22 respondents, all councils, confirmed they had contacted government to ask for financial help and another four said they were considering doing so.
Ministers continue to refuse to provide funding for sprinklers, telling landlords that retrofit is an “additional” measure.
This is despite experts and fire services describing fire suppression systems as “essential”.
As part of Inside Housing’s Never Again fire safety campaign, we are calling on government to fund the retrofitting of sprinkler systems in all UK tower blocks.
In 2015, we revealed that fewer than 1% of council tower blocks had sprinklers fitted within flats.
Grenfell: six months on
We have published a series of articles to mark the six month anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 71 people on 14 June.
Click on the links below to read the pieces:
Six months on from Grenfell, what has changed? Our news team looks at the progress made since the fire
Grenfell: the survivors' stories Read moving speeches to MPs from four people who survived the fire
Councils have no information on privately owned tower blocks It is not just social housing blocks councils need to keep an eye on when it comes to fire safety
Disguised by luxury: fire safety flaws in private blocks revealed Our research challenges Sajid Javid's suggestion a Grenfell-style fire couldn't happen in a luxury block
We need to go much further on fire safety Our editor Emma Maier outlines Inside Housing's view on the state of play
Half of high rises could get sprinkler refit We reveal the sector's projected spend on fire safety improvements since the disaster
The French connection The parallels between a fire in France and the Grenfell tragedy
Less than half of council tower blocks assessed since Grenfell Our exclusive research reveals the state of play regarding councils' fire risk assessments
Circus therapy for children affected by Grenfell How a group offering circus activities is bringing the community together
Dangerous cladding to be removed from giant modular tower blocks Housing association Notting Hill Housing is to spend £8m to remove dangerous material on six of its blocks
