Soroba tenants voice concern about cladding

A SOROBA resident has raised concerns over the insulation that surrounds the flats in the area and the age of the wiring in some homes.

However, Argyll Community House Association (ACHA) has responded to these concerns, saying all its homes meet the Scottish building regulations and that it carries out cyclical electrical inspections.

George Berry raised the questions at the monthly Soroba Residents’ Association meeting on Tuesday July 4. He was worried because of variations between flats.

‘Why did they change it?’ he said. ‘There are two of them that have a gap and the rest are face to face with the building. I would like them to remove the metal plating so we can get access to the fire protection that is there and take a sample from it.’

In the building that Mr Berry is referring to, there is an overhang on the outer part of the structure revealing a metal plate at the bottom.

Alastair MacGregor, chief executive of ACHA, said: ‘It has been drawn to the association’s attention that there is a gap between the insulation and the wall of a block in Soroba which the association is inspecting this week.

‘If this is found to be a variance from the normal specification, either by defect or anything else, then it will be repaired.’

Referring to why some of the buildings are different, Mr MacGregor said: ‘ The association will use different specifications depending on what buildings we are working on at a given time. All specifications meet the Scottish building regulations.

‘The association has an ongoing programme of external wall insulation to improve the thermal efficiency of our tenants’ homes.

‘We do not fit curtain walling with an air gap. The system we use is installed directly onto the face of external walls and the external coating is not combustible.

‘The specification we use is phenolic board which is Euroclass B and the fibre is Euroclass 1.’

Mr Berry also questioned the the safety of wiring in some of the homes.

‘The estate is about 40 years old,’ he said. ‘Back then houses were getting sold for pennies.

‘Because people can no longer come up with £7,000 to £ 8,000 to rewire their flats in Soroba, the wiring is now 40 years old.’

But Mr MacGregor reassured tenants, saying: ‘I can confirm that ACHA carries out cyclical electrical inspections.

‘For example, this year blocks at 2, 8, 9 and 10 Colonsay Terrace, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24 Shuna Terrace, 8 Scalpay Terrace, 32 McCaig Road and 1 Ulva Road will be part of the rolling programme.’