Lack of central checks leave flats in danger of collapse

Thousands of flats around the country need to be checked to find out if they are in danger of collapse in the event of a gas explosion, an architecture expert has warned.

Construction research body BRE is looking at hundreds of large panel system blocks to assess the risk.

Recommendations for safeguarding multi-storey buildings against collapse were introduced in the Building Regulations of 1970 after the collapse of Ronan Point tower block, east London, in 1968, in which four people died.

All local authorities were advised to test large panel system blocks for robustness by BRE in 1987 – but no checks were ever carried out centrally to make sure that work was done.

Architect Sam Webb, who investigated the Ronan Point collapse for the government in the wake of the collapse, said the lack of central checks meant there could still be many more flats, not yet investigated by BRE, that could be unsafe.

He said: “We don’t know how many there are. There could be thousands.

“They are all blocks that were built before they introduced new regulations in 1968. They should have been dealt with but weren’t.

“In 1987 BRE produced a report that went to all local authorities. [Following that] if you owned large panel system construction, it would seem it was common sense to check them. A large number didn’t.”

Last week Southwark council in London admitted it was removing the gas supply to some of its five- and six-storey blocks on the Aylesbury estate and carrying out strengthening work after a survey carried out in preparation for improvements indicated some blocks needed to be strengthened. Similar problems were discovered at the Packington estate in Islington, north London, last year.

The ODPM admitted it has “no record” of the number of large panel system properties built, stating “responsibility for these buildings is held by the owners”.

An ODPM spokeswoman said: “For existing buildings, the apparent risk to residents and the public can only be determined individually. Therefore compliance with the guidance will remain voluntary although local authorities do have general powers to intervene if they judge a building to be in a dangerous condition.”