Grenfell panels replaced on just three buildings

JUST three tower blocks out of almost 300 with the same “dangerous” and “flammable” cladding as Grenfell Tower have had panels taken down and replaced.

The official figures, made public yesterday, prompted a furious row amid accusations that the Government was dragging its feet in making the buildings safe in the wake of the tragedy.

Seven months after the fire – in which 71 people died including an unborn baby – a report published by the Ministry of Housing revealed “three buildings have finished the installation of replacement cladding”. Only a further six had begun to replace the dangerous and flammable cladding. It said 299 blocks failed safety tests because they had the same cladding system that “therefore present fire hazards”.

Sajid Javid, the Housing Secretary, told MPS that the cladding was being removed from a “number of buildings” and being “replaced slowly” and he suggested that the construction industry’s limited “capacity” to carry out the work was partly to blame.

John Healey, the shadow housing secretary, said the figures were deeply embarrassing and “shamed” the Government.

He said: “More than seven months after the Grenfell Tower fire, it should shame ministers that only three tower blocks with dangerous, flammable cladding have been replaced. Ministers have been off the pace at every stage in their response to the terrible fire.”

The Ministry of Housing declined to say why just three buildings had been re-clad in the wake of the fire but insisted that the number one priority was the safety of tower block residents.