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‘Name and shame’ threat to owners of tower blocks
O wners of tower blocks named and shamed within weeks. The claim comes after it was revealed some developers still have no clear plans to remove flammable cladding – five months after ministers pledged £200m to remove it from 170 privately owned high-rises. Housing secretary Robert Jenrick told a Conservative Party conference fringe event that unless developers came up with a clear plan, he could name and shame them soon, The Mirror reported. Admitting the issue had given him “sleepless nights”, he said: “I think now that the taxpayer is paying for that there is absolutely no justification whatsoever for further delay. “And I’ve said that if in a couple of weeks or so we don’t have a clear plan for every one of those privately- owned buildings, then we’re going to get d into the business of naming and shaming who owns those buildings. And asking them to explain very publicly why they’re not taking further action.” who have failed to replace dangerous cladding could be
Mr Jenrick has already indicated that he could name and shame tower block owners but did not set a time limit. For more than a year after the Grenfell disaster that claimed 72 lives, the government said it was for private developers to fund the repairs themselves. • Grenfell Tower survivors have been living in a block of flats with a high risk of fire, according to a risk assessment report commissioned by a resident. In July 2018, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea acquired 31 flats on Hortensia Road, London, for survivors of the tragedy. The new- build property was bought from a private contractor as part of the 300 homes for Grenfell survivors. A fire risk assessment completed last month concluded that current provisions were not satisfactory and that the building was at high risk of fire. Sarah Jones MP, the shadow housing minister, said: “No one should be living in unsafe buildings, but of all people, putting Grenfell survivors at risk of another fire is a complete disgrace.”
A swimming pool that will be the “float” 115ft in the air between two apartment blocks is set to be opened next summer. The pool – which is being dubbed the world’s first sky pool – will join two blocks together in Vauxhall, south London. Residents will be able to swim between the blocks at the Embassy Gardens development in the 25-metre long pool. Breathtaking images showwhat the pool, which is currently undergoing final testing in Colorado, will look like once completed. Brian Eckersley, the man behind the pool’s engineering said: “Once you swim off, you can look right down. It will be like flying.” Prices of the 2,000 apartmentswill range from £600,000 to £5m for the penthouse suite. Alongside the pool – which will hold 400 tonnes of water – residents will also have a number of other amenities available to them, including a gym and spa, and a cinema that can be hired out for private parties. Sky pool idea set to float!
Arrest after man’s threat to ‘blow up’ flats
A man who allegedly threatened to blow up a block of flats has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and intent to endanger life. Police forced their way into the east London building and detained the man
“blow it up” at about 8.40pm. Residents were evacuated from the 12-storey building and were gathered at a local community centre. Firefighters and paramedics were also sent to the scene at Earlsdown House in Wheelers Cross.
after hours of attempting to negotiate with him. Officers were called to reports that a man had barricaded himself inside a seventh floor flat in Barking. He was threatening to burn the block down and
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