Ministers have ‘moral duty’ to fund Grenfell memorial structure, says new report

However, the report acknowledged that a decision about the future of Grenfell Tower itself remains with the government, which has controlled the site since 2018. “Equally we know that Grenfell Tower cannot remain forever in its current form,” the report said.

The government published engineering advice in May 2021, which said the tower is significantly damaged, particularly above the 10th floor.

“We recognise that, as we work towards a design for a memorial, further work will be needed to understand exactly what is viable and possible,” the report said.

“That may include seeking our own independent engineering advice to help us and our community to understand what could be possible. We know this is a hugely difficult area with many different views within the Grenfell community.”

The commission also said that, beyond the Grenfell site, there should be a permanent public exhibition and separate physical and digital archive.

“Today we call on the government to fulfil its moral duty, and to honour its commitments to the memorial by delivering our recommendations, so that those we have lost are never forgotten,” the commission’s 10 representatives said.

In a timeline included in the report, it said the selection of a design team will be done by early 2025 after shortlisting, with the aim of having planning permission by spring 2026.

Late 2026 will be the “earliest point that the memorial build could begin”, the report said.

Former Labour minister Lord Boateng, and solicitor and mediator Thelma Stober, co-chairs of the commission, said: “There is an urgent need to create a permanent and fitting space for the Grenfell community to remember, to mourn and to reflect upon their experiences.

“In our journey, so far, we have always moved at the pace that the unique Grenfell community needed, with each step taken coming from having listened to everyone who wished to share their views.

“We pay tribute to the incredible kindness and humility that the Grenfell community continue to display, and to the hard work and dedication of the community representatives on the commission. It is due to their hard work, personal sacrifice and dedication that we have made the progress we have.”

The commission consists of 10 community representatives, made up of five bereaved family members, three former residents of Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk who lost their homes, and two residents from the Lancaster West Estate that surrounds Grenfell Tower.

In May 2022, the commission had set out its first ideas for a memorial to honour the 72 people who lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire.

At that time, almost two-thirds (64%) of those the commission spoke to said they would like the memorial to include a garden, while 33% said they would like it to include an artwork or a monument and 10% wanted it to incorporate a building such as a museum or a sheltered space.

In response to the latest report, housing secretary Michael Gove said: “I welcome the publication of this report and thank the commission for its important work.

“I am absolutely committed to supporting the Grenfell community and making sure they are at the heart of the vision for this memorial. My department will continue to work with the commission to take forward their recommendations for a lasting and fitting memorial to honour those who lost their lives in the Grenfell tragedy.”

Grenfell United, a group representing bereaved family members and survivors of the fire, and campaign group Justice4Grenfell have been contacted for a response to the commission’s latest report.