Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Report reveals major safety concerns at Tannery flats
Tannery bosses admit a surveyor’s report into last year’s devastating blaze reveals safety concerns about the remaining buildings.
Town & Country Housing, which manages the city centre complex, says the report highlights potential issues relating to fire separation between dwellings.
Its initial response has been to fit extra smoke alarms into apartments and homes – prompting angry residents to suggest more must be done.
Fourteen properties were gutted and many more damaged when the blaze tore through the development at frightening speed in July.
No one was hurt, though many suggested that the outcome could have been catastrophic had the fire broken out at night.
Earlier this year the Gazette revealed that no official reports or investigations had been conducted into the cause and spread.
The revelation prompted Canterbury City Council to vow to lobby government on tightening building regulations.
The authority will also strongly recommend developers of newbuild timber-framed mass housing to install sprinkler systems.
Town and Country has this week announced the results of a commissioned surveyor’s report.
In it, experts have identified potential issues relating to fire separation between dwellings, in particular the cavity barriers.
Town & Country says the report has prompted it to fit additional fire detection units to our properties, which we anticipate will be completed in the next couple of days.
The company says in a press release: “It is really important to understand that there are no additional risks of a fire starting at the Tannery.
“We are of course disappointed by the news of this report, however we are confident that we have acted swiftly to ensure the safety of our residents.”
The city centre development of more than 400 homes is of a timber-framed construction.
At the time of the blaze, firefighters expressed concern over the speed at which the flames had spread.
However, Bellway Homes, which built the homes, had complied with all necessary building regulations.
Nicola Armario, a resident liv-
‘There’s a lot more they could do than put in a few £2 smoke alarms’
ing in the development, said: “That fire spread so quickly.
“There’s a lot more they could do than put in a few £2 smoke alarms. Maybe they could put in sprinklers.
“It needs to come from higher up – they need to be forced to do it. ”
azette reporterg Alex Claridge also lives in the Tannery complex.
He said: “We all know how quickly that fire spread.
“Months after, their own report suggests possible problems with fire separation between homes.
“Much as I welcome extra fire alarms, they do nothing to help stop the spread of the flames once the fire’s started.
“To my knowledge, no concerns were raised about detection of a fire. They were to do with the spread.”
Town & Country suggests fur- ther measures could be taken in future to address the issue of potential spread.
Spokesman Rachel Branson said: “Our immediate response was to put extra measures in place to offer early detection should a fire take place.
“However, conversations will continue into the appropriate long term response for the buildings and our tenants’ safety.”
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