All 11 of city’s high-rise flats are to get sprinklers

SPRINKLER systems are to be installed in all of Swansea’s 11 high-rise council flats in the wake of the Grenfell tower tragedy.

The authority was planning to install sprinkler systems in four high-rise blocks awaiting refurbishment to comply with new Welsh Government guidelines, but leaders have now decided to retrofit them in the seven blocks that have already been revamped.

The council has also sent samples from four apartment blocks which have aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding on their exterior — and cannot be sure they will pass tests, which are being carried out by the Building Research Establishment (BRE).

The tests have been ordered by the Welsh Government, and frustrated council bosses in Swansea said they have not been told what exactly the BRE tests involve. But given the wholesale failure of ACM cladding tests in England, they fear a “technical” fail cannot be ruled out despite the cladding satisfying building regulations.

The ACM cladding is on three blocks on Clyne Court, Sketty, and one block on Jeffreys Court, Penlan. The cladding comprises a mineral core interior surrounded by aluminium, but not the less fire resistant polyethylene or polyurethane core that has been causing alarm in the wake of Grenfell.

Councillor Andrea Lewis, cabinet member for housing, energy and building services, said: “We do not have any safety concerns over our cladding on high-rise blocks, and we believe we have the best fire prevention measures in place for our tenants.

“We know that the materials used in our high-rise blocks either meet or exceed current building regulations. However, we have also seen that more than 130 blocks tested in England have failed the tests required by the Government.”

The council has requested the ACM samples are subjected to the standard building regulations test, as well as the unspecified but higher threshold test.

Council leader Rob Stewart said if the cladding was to fail building regulations, the authority would immediately remove it from the four blocks. If, however, the cladding was to fail the unspecified test, the council would seek advice from the Welsh Government about what to do next, although removing it would be the likely option.

And the council has reiterated that all its high-rise buildings have other fire safety measures which meet or exceed the relevant guidelines, including hardwired smoke alarms in all flats, water pipes which run from the ground to top floor for firefighters to tap into in the event of a fire, horizontal and vertical fire breaks and fire resistant doors.

In addition, a non-combustible rock wool insulation layer sits between all external cladding and the actual exterior of the revamped high rise blocks, although there is also a small gap to prevent damp getting in.

Fire risk assessments have also been carried out in high-rise blocks in recent days and safety tests will be carried out now every six months instead of annually.

Private security staff will be deployed at high-rise blocks at night-time to reassure residents until there is clarity about what happens next.

And a fresh batch of letters to residents has been sent out to update them.

The council has revamped Rheidol Court, Clase, Jeffreys Court, Penlan and five blocks at Clyne Court, Sketty, and Matthew Street, Dyfatty. On the to-do list are four blocks on Griffith John Street and Croft Street, Dyfatty.

The new testing regime will also apply to privately-owned buildings and schools and hospitals.

It is understood funding would be made available to the council to replace materials that failed the unspecified test.

A timetable has not been given on the fitting of the sprinkler systems, which are understood to cost a six-figure sum per block.