Grenfell Tower could be taken down

The government has said that it needs to consider if and when Grenfell Tower should be “carefully” taken down.

In a letter, which was posted on social media yesterday, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said that it will be at least a year before any decision on the future of the tower is implemented.

This will be after the fifth anniversary of the blaze at the tower block in London in June 2017 that claimed 72 lives, it added.

The letter, signed by Alistair Watters, director of the Grenfell site and programme at the MHCLG, said: “Following important advice from structural engineers about the condition of the tower, we need to consider this summer if, and when, the tower should be carefully taken down to maintain safety.

“This is so that we can plan for this as part of the ongoing safety works taking place within the tower.

“I want to reassure you that it will be at least a year before we begin to implement any decision, which means there will be no change to the tower before the fifth anniversary in 2022. The work of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry will continue during this period.”

The letter, dated May 7, said that people will be invited to in-person and online meetings this month to hear from the MHCLG’S Grenfell site team and structural engineers.

It added: “We want to ensure bereaved families, survivors and residents have access to the information that will inform a decision on the tower before it is made. Later this month, and after we have been able to discuss it with you first, we will publish the information that will inform a decision on the tower.”