Grenfell Tower block disaster

[Bilboblue]

The Government has purchased apartments at an upmarket development to rehouse survivors of the Grenfell Tower blaze.

Sixty-eight new social housing units at the Kensington Row development in Kensington High Street have been acquired, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said.

Prices for homes on the site - which includes a private cinema and a 24-hour concierge service - range from £1.5m to £8.5m.

The flats purchased by the Government will be offered as one of the options to permanently rehouse residents from Grenfell Tower.


"The residents of Grenfell Tower have been through some of the most harrowing and traumatic experiences imaginable and it is our duty to support them," said Mr Javid.

"Our priority is to get everyone who has lost their home permanently rehoused locally as soon as possible, so that they can begin to rebuild their lives.

"The government will continue to do everything we can as fast as we can to support those affected by this terrible tragedy."

Jesus Christ, how much???!

 

[Gabriel]

Leader of the K&C Council has fallen on his sword, after being shoved by the Government.

“Success in our efforts requires leadership across London that sustains the confidence and support of central government. There is a huge amount still to do for the victims of the fire, requiring the full attention of this council and many others. If I stayed in post, my presence would be a distraction.”

 

[Bill Walker]

The Government has purchased apartments at an upmarket development to rehouse survivors of the Grenfell Tower blaze.

Sixty-eight new social housing units at the Kensington Row development in Kensington High Street have been acquired, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said.

Prices for homes on the site - which includes a private cinema and a 24-hour concierge service - range from £1.5m to £8.5m.

The flats purchased by the Government will be offered as one of the options to permanently rehouse residents from Grenfell Tower.


"The residents of Grenfell Tower have been through some of the most harrowing and traumatic experiences imaginable and it is our duty to support them," said Mr Javid.

"Our priority is to get everyone who has lost their home permanently rehoused locally as soon as possible, so that they can begin to rebuild their lives.

"The government will continue to do everything we can as fast as we can to support those affected by this terrible tragedy."

Bet the people who have bought in there already are having tumbling values nightmares

 

[cibaman]

How is that fucking legal?

God knows. I was on the board of a community housing trust for a few years. The trust owned a couple of tower blocks that were due for refurbishment. I left before the refurbishment got under way but can remember during the planning process reading about all of the legislation and standards that needed to be complied with. It gave the impression that as long as we followed accepted best practice everything would be fine. Certainly, at board level, we didnt get into the detail over what type of cladding would be used. We assumed, perhaps complacently, that we would be improving the living conditions of tenants, not turning the tower blocks into death traps. I was mightily relieved last week to read a comment from the current CEO of the trust that a completely different, fire resistant cladding had been used.

 

[SilverFox2]

God knows. I was on the board of a community housing trust for a few years. The trust owned a couple of tower blocks that were due for refurbishment. I left before the refurbishment got under way but can remember during the planning process reading about all of the legislation and standards that needed to be complied with. It gave the impression that as long as we followed accepted best practice everything would be fine. Certainly, at board level, we didnt get into the detail over what type of cladding would be used. We assumed, perhaps complacently, that we would be improving the living conditions of tenants, not turning the tower blocks into death traps. I was mightily relieved last week to read a comment from the current CEO of the trust that a completely different, fire resistant cladding had been used.

The following Health and Safety regulations are to do with CDM (Construction Design and Management) and explain the legal issues.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l153.htm

In other words there are legal issues at design as well as construction phases.

 

[Always Ali]

The Government has purchased apartments at an upmarket development to rehouse survivors of the Grenfell Tower blaze.

Sixty-eight new social housing units at the Kensington Row development in Kensington High Street have been acquired, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said.

Prices for homes on the site - which includes a private cinema and a 24-hour concierge service - range from £1.5m to £8.5m.

The flats purchased by the Government will be offered as one of the options to permanently rehouse residents from Grenfell Tower.


"The residents of Grenfell Tower have been through some of the most harrowing and traumatic experiences imaginable and it is our duty to support them," said Mr Javid.

"Our priority is to get everyone who has lost their home permanently rehoused locally as soon as possible, so that they can begin to rebuild their lives.

"The government will continue to do everything we can as fast as we can to support those affected by this terrible tragedy."

I think the central block of the development are the expensive apartments you mention. They are surrounded by "affordable" apartments that don't offer the things you mention above. Although I suspect that the owners of the more executive ones are feeling pretty pissed right now....unlucky!

 

[adrianr]

How is that fucking legal?

Seriously! How does that shit get approved for use anywhere?

They're going to have to find a patsy for this and fast because none of the news coming out about this is looking anything better than rich folk trying to cover an eyesore on the cheap, putting everyone's lives at risk whilst doing so. It's the ultimate disgusting manifestation of a class divide that has so many people in this country so pissed off. If no one goes to jail over this there will be riots.

 

[cibaman]

Seriously! How does that shit get approved for use anywhere?

They're going to have to find a patsy for this and fast because none of the news coming out about this is looking anything better than rich folk trying to cover an eyesore on the cheap, putting everyone's lives at risk whilst doing so. It's the ultimate disgusting manifestation of a class divide that has so many people in this country so pissed off. If no one goes to jail over this there will be riots.

Apparently the cladding could have been fitted in 600 high rises across the country. Doesn't that suggest that's its not really a case of one bad council trying to cover an eyseore, more a complete failure of building regulations to prevent dangerous materials being used on a widespread basis?

If there really are 600 buildings with this cladding then I doubt that people will go to jail.

 

[CitizenTID]

They're saying 600 tower blocks could have similar cladding. 3 of the cladding types found on buildings could be combustable.

Relevant expert interviewed also making the point of commercial properties and flammable window materials that help fires to spread. Says it's crazy what's out there and products sold as fire resistant when they aren't.

Byproduct of this capitalism we have (without checks and balances on corruption). If this shocks you, think about the food industries, air quality, energy industries etc. etc. etc.

 

[BlueAnorak]

600 tower blocks across the country may need retrospective work to be reckad. 3 confirmed to be dangerous. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40366646