At least 'six hundred' more high rise blocks have similar 'combustible cladding'

Here’s what was said

It has emerged Thursday, that there are six-hundred more tower blocks that have combustible cladding that is similar to that of the Grenfell tower.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London said Thursday morning: The news this morning confirms people’s worst fears that there is a real risk that other tower blocks across Britain are at risk from combustible cladding.

“There is now a huge amount of work to urgently do to ensure that the Fire Brigade are satisfied that it is safe for people to remain in properties affected. 

“If not, the government must support people being rehoused immediately while cladding is being removed.

A spokeswoman for Downing Street said: ““If not, the government must support people being rehoused immediately while cladding is being removed.”

“In terms of how many buildings and how many homes have this type of cladding, the estimate provided to us by councils is that there are approximately 600 high-rise buildings with similar cladding.

“We are in touch with all the local authorities to encourage them to urgently send us the samples and then we will carry out the checks that we need to see where we are with that.”

Adding that high-rise buildings where combustible cladding has been found, “we will do a further test to make sure the building is safe” and residents could be rehomed.

“Obviously nobody will be living in buildings that are unsafe, they will be rehoused if they need to be and landlords will be asked to provide alternative accommodation where that’s possible.”

Camden council has conducted tests on their high-rise blocks, they have started to remove cladding from one estate after the test came back positive.

Councillor, Georgia Gould of Camden council said: “The new results from the laboratory show that the outer cladding panels themselves are made up of aluminium panels with a polyethylene core.

“Therefore, the panels that were fitted were not to the standard that we had commissioned. In light of this, we will be informing the contractor that we will be taking urgent legal advice.

“Whilst we are clear that our cladding design and insulation significantly differs to that at Grenfell Tower, the external cladding panels did not satisfy our independent laboratory testing or the high standards we set for contractors.

“Camden Council has decided it will immediately begin preparing to remove these external cladding panels from the five tower blocks on the Chalcots Estate.

“Camden Council will do whatever it takes to ensure our residents are reassured about the safety of their homes.”