Fire survivors moving into luxury flats
BRITAIN: British Prime Minister Theresa May apologised for failures by local and national government in their response to the Grenfell Tower fire as it was announced yesterday that some survivors will be rehoused in a luxury development in the affluent London district of Kensington.
May said in the House of Commons that there had been ‘‘a failure of the state, local and national, to help people when they needed it most. As prime minister, I apologise for that failure’’.
The Department for Communities and Local Government has revealed plans to move former residents of the tower into new social housing at Kensington Row, about two kilometres from the 24-storey block of flats where 79 people are known to have died.
Building has been accelerated at the development - where the price of flats ranges from £1.6 million to £8.5m (NZ$2.78m to $14.8m) - to make 68 affordable homes ready for former Grenfell residents by the end of next month.
Those in the affordable homes will not share access to the gym, swimming pool, private cinema and 24-hour Harrods concierge service available to their new neighbours.
The homes were bought by the City of London Corporation in a deal brokered by the Homes and Communities Agency as anger grew over the official response to the disaster. Extra workers have been committed by the developer, and working hours restrictions will be relaxed so that work can continue around the clock.
A civil disaster reaction taskforce is being considered to deal with future disasters, according to the Queen’s Speech yesterday.
Acknowledging that victims and their families ‘‘suffered so terribly’’ in the fire that had ‘‘shocked the whole nation’’, the Queen announced plans for an independent public advocate to act for bereaved families and support them at public inquests.
Hundreds of mourners yesterday attended the first funeral from the disaster, that of Mohammed Alhjali, 23, a Syrian refugee.