High-rises in Hull to have insulation replaced, following post Grenfell inspections

Great Thornton Street Block 3, near Hull Royal Infirmary and semi-sheltered housing schemes Bayswater Court and Muswell Court, on the Ings Road estate, are being inspected six times daily until the work - needed to comply with an enforcement notice from Humberside Fire and Rescue (HFRS) - is carried out.

A council report said inspections uncovered “limited” amounts of combustible materials in the curtain wall panel infills at the three blocks.

Residents have been kept informed in leaflets and through resident and tenant association meetings.

In a statement Hull Council said none of its 26 high rises contained panels like that of Grenfell Tower and therefore the Government did not want to test panels from the city.

However inspections, involving Humberside Fire and Rescue and external consultants HFR Solutions identified a “series of improvement actions.”

It added: “The majority of the identified actions from the fire risk assessments have now been completed, with further actions to be finished prior to April.

“Rather than waste money trying to replicate complex and expensive Government tests, it was decided by Hull Council, in liaison with HFRS and an external fire safety advisor, to replace some elements of curtain walling in three tower blocks.

“All the residents living in these blocks have been informed about the works and reassured that the building’s safety is not adversely affected.”

Hull East MP Karl Turner said the Government needed to honour its pledge to refund councils who needed to make changes to its housing stock post Grenfell. The work will cost the council £500,000.

He said: “The local authority isn’t in a position to make good these things without support from the Government and I will be pressing Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid.”

Anyone with queries should call the city council on 01482 300300.