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Housing providers cannot tackle the problem of LPS blocks alone. We need a clear, well-funded national strategy
We’ve launched a sector-wide group to share knowledge and explore both short and long-term solutions for LPS blocks, writes Stephen Flounders, executive director – regulatory and business services at Gentoo
Stephen Flounders is executive director, regulatory and business services, at Gentoo
We’ve launched a sector-wide group to share knowledge and explore both short and long-term solutions for LPS blocks, writes Stephen Flounders, executive director – regulatory and business services at Gentoo #UKhousingSafety concerns with large panel system (LPS) residential buildings have been known for decades. Originally built in the post-war era to meet urgent housing needs, these buildings now present housing providers with a complex and growing set of building safety and viability challenges.
These are challenges that need a national strategy, underpinned by robust funding and clear accountability, if they are to be overcome.
The collapse of Ronan Point in 1968 exposed the vulnerabilities of LPS construction and led to clear instructions for remedial action, particularly to ensure buildings could safely carry piped gas. Yet many of these essential works were either never completed or not done to the required standard.
As Peter Apps’ article outlines, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) believes 350 LPS blocks still have a gas supply, and 202 of these have no record of post-Ronan Point strengthening.
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Housing providers should now be conducting suitable structural assessments. The BSR should be building a clearer picture, with many LPS blocks being subject to the Building Assessment Certificate process over the past year.
Assessing structural safety in LPS blocks is complex. It requires technical expertise, significant financial investment and careful co-ordination. At Gentoo we have 10 LPS blocks. Our structural assessments were thorough, following guidelines published by the Building Research Establishment.
“Assessing structural safety in LPS blocks is complex. It requires technical expertise, significant financial investment and careful co-ordination”
They took many months of planning and execution and we had to strip empty flats back to the concrete to assess their condition. Open and honest engagement with residents was non-negotiable. They deserved to know what we were doing and why we were doing it.
The cost of structural strengthening is substantial. We know it will cost us around £15m per building if we carry out the necessary work in our LPS blocks. Although these blocks don’t have gas, we still must act to ensure the safety of our residents.
We’ve been consulting with our residents on plans to demolish three LPS blocks. Demolition is not a decision we will take lightly. It will have a profound impact on our residents and their communities. We estimate it will cost around £5m per building. We’re doing all we can to help our residents understand the decisions we face and will support them fully if demolition becomes the only viable option.
If the BSR’s figures are accurate, the scale of the problem is vast. Thousands of residents may be living in LPS blocks with unresolved structural safety issues. The potential cost to the sector is enormous.
This is not a challenge housing providers can tackle alone. We need a clear, well-funded national strategy to assess, prioritise and address the risks associated with LPS buildings. Government support and funding is essential to help providers manage this alongside many other pressing demands.
“Demolition is not a decision we will take lightly. It will have a profound impact on our residents and their communities”
At Gentoo, we’ve launched a sector-wide group bringing together housing providers, structural engineers and policymakers to share knowledge and explore both short and long-term solutions for LPS blocks. This collaboration is already highlighting the varied approaches across the sector – and the urgent need for a consistent national strategy.
We’d like all housing providers with LPS blocks to get involved, as well as structural safety experts. Please email gemma.darville@gentoogroup.com if you’re interested in joining us.
Reflecting on the significant challenges with LPS blocks – the scale of the issue, what is already known and the catastrophic potential of an explosion or a significant fire – the words of Sir Martin Moore-Bick, chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, spring to mind. “The simple truth is that the deaths that occurred were all avoidable.”
We must act now to address the challenges of LPS blocks before it’s too late.
Stephen Flounders, executive director – regulatory and business services, Gentoo
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