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Morning Briefing: ‘missing or useless fire stops’ at Worcester Park fire estate

A building on the estate where the Worcester Park fire took place in September has reportedly been found to have “missing or useless” fire stopping

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Richmond House in Worcester Park (Picture: London Fire Brigade)
Richmond House in Worcester Park (Picture: London Fire Brigade)
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Morning Briefing: ‘missing or useless fire stops’ in a building on the estate where the Worcester Park fire took place #ukhousing

The BBC has spoken to a fire safety expert who said he found a large gap between the fire stopping and the cladding on the outside of a building on the estate, which he said would act as “chimney through which a fire will spread.”

One anonymous resident said: “We are worried about how our homes are built and if they could go up, we want to be evacuated.”

Developer Berkeley Group said all properties had been “independently signed off”, while Metropolitan Thames Valley, which owns several homes on the estate, including the block which burned down, said they have commissioned surveys of all the homes they manage.

In other news, today Labour will unveil plans to introduce a carbon-neutral energy system by the 2030s, including insulation upgrades for every home.

The party plans to install eight million electric heat pumps to replace gas heating, and “enough new solar panels to cover 22,000 football pitches”, according to The Guardian.

The new report, which shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said would kick-start Labour’s “green industrial revolution”, follows the announcement of a wide-ranging set of climate measures at the party’s conference in Brighton last month.


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How we are dealing with the aftermath of the Worcester Park fireHow we are dealing with the aftermath of the Worcester Park fire
Government expects social sector cladding deadline to be metGovernment expects social sector cladding deadline to be met
The school of social housingThe school of social housing

In local news, plans to build 3,900 homes, a secondary school and a new railway station have been unveiled in Stroud, Gloucestershire, the BBC reports.

The plans are part of Stroud District Council’s revised local plan, which will now be sent out for public feedback.

However, the council said it was under pressure from the government to find land for 12,800 homes, a target it described as a “significant challenge” due to much of the district being classed as ‘areas of outstanding natural beauty’.

Meanwhile, an 850-home development has been approved on the site of a former paper mill site in Glenrothes, Fife.

The £42m project, which will also include a 32-room care home and 16 retirement flats, is one of the largest single developments in the area in decades, according to The Courier.

Finally, a Welsh Assembly member has criticised the country’s government for not doing enough to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in Wales.

Deeside.com reports on the comments, which were made by Mark Isherwood at a Welsh Conservative debate on homelessness. His comments also included criticism of the government for failing to act on the warning signs of a housing crisis in Wales.

On social media

Ms Long-Bailey tweets about her party’s new climate change plans:

The Chartered Institute of Housing is hosting a development think tank for housing associations and councils in London next month:

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