Nottingham Trent University says it will remove cladding wrapped around three blocks of flats ‘as a matter of urgency’ after tests showed it was similar to the system present at Grenfell Tower.
Nottingham Trent University has been working with accommodation partner UPP, which runs the flats, to review the cladding.
Cladding is the external insulation material wrapped around the high-rise flats.
The safety of cladding has been questioned following the Grenfell Tower fire, in North Kensington, on June 14, which has killed at least 79 people.
The review of the external rendering found three of the seven blocks of flats at the university’s Byron House development, on Hampden Street, were clad using Reynobond Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) panels.
And tests have shown the cladding is the Reynobond (PE) model, featuring two sheets of aluminium on either side of a polyethylene, plastic core.
This is similar to the inflammable polyurethane core in the Grenfell Tower model.
It is not known if the polyethylene material at the Nottingham flats is fire retardant or flammable but the university says as a matter of urgency it has decided “to remove and replace the cladding on these three blocks as a matter of urgency”.
The university previously rehoused students in the flats to other accommodation while the test were carried out.
A joint statement with housing provider UPP and the university read: “The safety of our staff and students is of paramount importance to the university and its accommodation partner UPP.
“As such, the university and UPP – which owns and manages the Byron House accommodation – initiated an immediate review into the type of materials used on this building.
“This review showed that three of the building’s seven blocks were clad using Reynobond ACM.
“As a precautionary measure UPP and NTU re-accommodated a small number of remaining students in these blocks into alternative rooms while further tests were carried out to determine the exact version of this product.
“Tests have since shown that these three blocks are clad using Reynobond (PE).
“In light of this, the decision has been made to remove and replace the cladding on these three blocks as a matter of urgency.
“This will begin as soon as possible and we will take every possible step to complete these essential works in time for the next academic year.
“In the event that this is not possible, we will be offering alternative similar accommodation to students who were due to move into one of these three blocks.”
Byron House was opened in 2013 and features fire alarms and smoke sensors in every room, and the university says there are regular fire drills so residents know how to evacuate the building safely.
The building cost around £60m and there are 559 student rooms.
