Grenfell cladding ‘was to prevent it looking like poor cousin’
IT WAS hoped putting cladding on Grenfell Tower “would prevent it looking like a poor cousin” to a new academy school and leisure centre built close by, the inquiry into the 2017 fire has been told.
A document by Kensington & Chelsea Council employee Jane Trethewey, about the redevelopment at the 1970s-built tower block, heard that Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation, which had responsibility for the council’s housing, wanted to clad it for this reason. Ultimately, flammable cladding was put on the outside of the 24-storey tower with tragic consequences, when 72 people died at the fire in June 2017.
The council document reads: “TMO was keen to look at cladding Grenfell Tower and replacing the windows.
“This would have the advantage of addressing the investment needs of one of its worst property assets and prevent it looking like a poor cousin to the brand new facility being developed next door.”
It was hoped the work on the tower would complement the new Kensington Aldridge Academy and a new leisure centre nearby.
Mark Anderson, TMO’s interim asset management and engineering manager at the time, said comments about the tower looking like a poor cousin came from architects Studio E or Kensington & Chelsea Council, which owned it.
He said he did not think it was a concern of housing portfolio holder, Cllr Timothy Coleridge.
“I would not say it was a concern, it was a desire of whatever was done to Grenfell Tower reflected well on the broader community.”
He said there was no pressure “to drive down the budget”.
Mr Anderson said Grenfell resident Ed Daffarn said they had little say on the academy and leisure centre design and “he wanted to ensure the same didn’t happen with Grenfell Tower”.
The previous day the inquiry heard that TMO employee Paul Dunkerton had referred to resident Ed Daffarn, as “one of two main antagonists” on the Lancaster West Estate regarding Grenfell Tower.
Mr Daffarn, who escaped his flat on the 16th floor, frequently raised concerns about the project in the Grenfell Action Group blog. A post in 2016 warned about fire concerns, which proved prophetic.
Mr Dunkerton, who was involved in admin for the project for the TMO, told the Inquiry his “choice of words was not great, but that they were more vocal than other residents and leaseholders in the tower”.
Mr Daffarn is now a leading light in the bereaved and survivors group Grenfell United’s campaign to remove unsafe cladding from buildings throughout the UK.
The inquiry heard on Monday October 12 that residents were given a questionnaire about the insulation cladding for the outside of the building. Mr Dunkerton said different colour samples of cladding were available for residents “to feel and touch” at several meetings.
Just one resident turned up to one evening consultation meeting in July 2012, however a newsletter for residents in August stated: “There were no concerns from residents about cladding the building”.
However, the inquiry heard that residents were not asked about the type of cladding.
The inquiry continues.