Update: For all fire safety and updates following the Grenfell Tower fire please visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/firesafety
Lambeth Council does not have any cladding on any of our medium/high rise residential blocks of the same form and construction as that reported to have been used at Grenfell Tower.
All of our recent work to bring homes up to the Lambeth Housing Standard (last five years) has installed ‘Rockwool’ cladding that is fundamentally different.
Investigations
However, as part of a wider investigation by the government, we are carrying out further investigations on all our fully and partially clad blocks – Lambeth has 122 medium/high rise blocks (six storeys and above), of which 31 have some form of cladding.
This is to review the exact composition and installation, and to ensure its safety. We ask residents not to be alarmed if they see contractors on site carrying out work that may include removing small parts of the cladding for testing. This is an ongoing process, and the sampling should be completed this week.
‘Failed test’
With regards to the reports of one building in Lambeth having cladding that has failed fire safety testing, the building in question is one built, owned and managed by Network Homes, a housing association, rather than a Lambeth Council housing block.
The London Fire Brigade carried out a full fire safety inspection of the building on Saturday 24 June and has confirmed that because of its multiple up to date fire safety features (including sprinklers), it does not need to be vacated.
While this block is not a Lambeth Council property, we are of course working closely with its landlords to ensure everything is in place to ensure resident safety.
Fire safety
We continue to urge all residents to familiarise themselves with Lambeth’s fire safety advice, which can be found online.
Any concerns regarding fire safety in your home, or your block, should be reported to Housing Management on 020 7926 6000 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm) or HMfiresafety@lambeth.gov.uk.
