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Government delay in reviewing fire safety regulations 'putting tower blocks at risk'
Tower blocks across the UK could be at risk of fire safety failures because of a government delay in reviewing building regulations, experts have warned.
The All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group has been calling for a review of building regulations for years.
Fire safety failings were uncovered following a devastating tower block fire at Lakanal House in south London in 2009, which killed six people. These failings included a lack of fire risk assessments, and panels on the outside walls not providing the necessary fire resistance. The council recently pleaded guilty to four criminal charges relating to fire safety lapses and paid a £570,000 fine.
Housing minister Gavin Barwell said in the Commons last October that the government will review Part B of Building Regulations 2010, which relate to fire safety, “following the Lakanal House fire”.
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Ronnie King, honorary administrative secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group, said the building regulations “haven’t taken account of the Lakanal House fire inquest, or updated recent accredited research”.
He added: “We still have 4,000 older tower blocks in the UK which have the same regulations applied to them. The message to other social landlords and housing providers is unless there is a review of [part B] of the regulations you could face multi-million pound legal costs and compensation should you experience a Lakanal House tragedy.”
Mr King is concerned about the “failure of three successive government ministers” to review building regulations related to fire safety.
Fire safety expert Sam Webb said “really serious questions” should be asked in parliament about fire safety.
He added that there is a “conflict” between fire safety and the materials that are used to make buildings more energy efficient. He said: “The materials used are not fire-resistant and in some cases they’re flammable.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Communities and Local Government declined to give a date for the building regulations review and added it will take place “in due course”.
