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Council to demolish Ronan Point-style blocks
A London council will demolish two 14-storey Ronan Point-style tower blocks over structural safety concerns.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s cabinet has agreed to knock down Hartopp and Lannoy Points, which were built using a large panel system (LPS) construction method.
Structural surveys commissioned by the council “have identified significant health and safety concerns” at the towers, according to a council report.
A report by Arup warned that “an accidental extreme event could lead to the collapse of a disproportionately large part of the building”.
The authority estimates demolition will cost £14.1m, requiring £8.7m of extra Housing Revenue Account borrowing. Refurbishing the blocks would cost a projected £16.5m.
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It launched a consultation in February stating its preference to demolish the blocks and said residents were “overwhelmingly supportive” of the plans, with 18 of 19 responses in favour.
Advice to residents in the event of a fire changed from a stay put policy to full and immediate evacuation in November 2017, with a round-the-clock waking watch in place since then.
A Fire Risk Assessment of Hartopp Point conducted in December 2018 concluded the building posed “moderate” risk to life from fire and warned of “major deficiencies” in compartmentation.
Of the 112 flats in the two blocks, 56 are already empty as the council has offered residents the chance to move out since concerns were first raised about safety in November 2017.
Tenants will be given Band 1 priority on the housing waiting list and offered home loss and disturbance payments, with financial assistance for moving home and the right to return to new homes on the site.
Leasehold flats will be bought back at a cost of £4.7m, with owners offered portable equity share loans to allow them to buy another home in the area.
Stephen Cowan, leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, said that redevelopment of the blocks would help the council deliver new affordable homes.
Ronan Point was a 22-storey LPS tower block in Newham, east London, which partially collapsed following a gas explosion in 1968 killing four people.
After safety issues were identified at four LPS blocks in Southwark in August 2017, social landlords around the country have uncovered concerns with their own blocks.
Leicester, Haringey, Portsmouth, Rugby and Lewisham councils have all taken steps to demolish LPS blocks.
