CLADDING STRIPPED FROM TOWER BLOCK
HOUSING GROUP ACTS TO ‘REASSURE RESIDENTS WE TAKE THEIR SAFETY VERY SERIOUSLY’
CLADDING is being stripped from a Manchester tower block as urgent tests are taking place on dozens more around the city.
Work was being carried out last night to strip material from a residential block in the Village 135 development in Wythenshawe after concerns were raised about the cladding.
The move comes as samples from all 56 tower blocks owned by Manchester council or social housing providers were being sent away for government analysis.
Private providers in the city are now also being urged by town hall chiefs to also send samples from their buildings for tests.
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG), which runs the block, said it was taking no chances and work to remove the material began yesterday afternoon.
The move comes as fire safety is being reviewed in all tower blocks across Greater Manchester.
Councils with properties more than 59ft (18m) high with aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding must supply samples of the panels to the Department for Communities and Local Government for fire safety tests to establish whether the material in their core is combustible.
Manchester has 56 tower blocks operated by social landlords who are all co-operating and sending samples.
Private landlords have been asked to do the same.
In Salford, there are about 40 blocks run by three housing associations and a management company for the council.
In a statement WCHG said: “Following the tragic events from the Grenfell Fire, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, working with the Greater Manchester Fire service, has conducted a comprehensive review of all ten tower blocks within Wythenshawe.
“We can confirm following early fire safety actions taken we have been able to detect that our Village 135 scheme has been identified as having 78 feature panels which are located in a small area of the overall development, works to remove these panels will commence today.
“We want to reassure all our residents we take their safety very seriously.
“We have robust fire safety measures in place, with a state of the art fire alarm system for early detection, 24-hour on-site concierge service and all alarms are linked to a Careline system for added security.”
Greater Manchester Fire Service said: “Following Village 135’s test results, we have conducted a fire risk audit, which has concluded that this building is safe for all its residents.
“We are happy with WCHG’s active and passive fire systems.” Deputy leader of Manchester council, Coun Bernard Priest, said: “We want the public to be completely confident which is why we have two priorities.
Firstly, making buildings safe, which means we will remove any cladding we have doubts over. And, secondly, making people feel safe, which is the case in Wythenshawe.
Every social landlord across Manchester has been reviewing or taking fire safety advice around high rise buildings and the council is also urging private landlords to show the same duty of care to high-rise tenants.
“If private landlords have any doubts or questions we want them to contact our building control team or contact the chief fire officer on 0800 555815.”