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MP calls for cladding removal to continue after Barking fire block sees work paused
An east London MP has called on the government to support the continuation of cladding removal from blocks after a development in her constituency, which was hit by a devastating fire last June, had work to remove dangerous materials paused.
The removal of dangerous wooden cladding and balconies from the Samuel Garside House development in Barking stopped yesterday after its developer, Bellway, closed down construction sites across the country.
In June last year, Samuel Garside House was hit by a devastating fire that caused damage to dozens of apartments in the development. The fire started on one of the block’s wooden balconies and spread within minutes across the wooden cladding to other balconies, causing residents to flee. Two people were treated for smoke inhalation, while many more were left dispossessed for months.
Margaret Hodge, the MP for Barking, confirmed in a tweet that Bellway had stopped work to remove combustible materials and install safer replacements due to the risks posed by COVID-19.
Ms Hodge has now written to housing secretary Robert Jenrick to ask that crucial fire safety work, including that at Samuel Garside House, is continued to ensure the safety of residents.
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She wrote: “As I’m sure you can appreciate, residents will be deeply concerned that the remedial works will not be completed according to the schedule and the block will continue to be a fire safety risk.”
Ms Hodge said that she appreciated the challenges facing developers faced with regards to applying social distancing to construction sites and the difficulties securing materials.
But added: “I know the government has said that construction can continue where it is done in line with the public health guidance. I therefore ask that you do everything in your power to support developers so that they can safely complete these vital remedial works.”
I wrote to the Govt yesterday about the removal of combustible materials on a building in Barking. We may be in a lockdown but we can’t forget about fire safety. I’m sure this will be an issue elsewhere too. More must be done to support developers & make these homes truly safe pic.twitter.com/xjSvUNRudk
— Margaret Hodge (@margarethodge)I wrote to the Govt yesterday about the removal of combustible materials on a building in Barking. We may be in a lockdown but we can't forget about fire safety. I'm sure this will be an issue elsewhere too. More must be done to support developers & make these homes truly safe pic.twitter.com/xjSvUNRudk
— Margaret Hodge (@margarethodge) March 27, 2020
On Monday, the government brought in strict social distancing guidelines which limit the movement of the population in order to try and restrict the spread of the virus. However on Tuesday, Mr Jenrick confirmed that work on construction sites could continue as long as social distancing advice was implemented.
In response, a number of major house builders and contractors closed down sites, claiming that social distancing is difficult to implement. This has had an impact on remedial works for the buildings found to have dangerous cladding.
On Tuesday, work was paused on the 1,000-home New Capital Quay development, where work was taking place to remove Grenfell-style aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, Mr Jenrick said there were some areas in the construction industry that were absolutely essential and this included ensuring that essential repairs are done “like taking dangerous cladding off buildings, like ACM cladding – the cladding we saw on Grenfell Tower, for example”.