Two high-rise blocks of Nottingham student flats fail cladding tests

Global Point, Bromley Place, has failed cladding tests.

Two high-rise blocks of student flats in Nottingham have failed Government cladding tests ordered in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Nottingham City Council said on Wednesday night (July 19) that Global Point, based in Bromley Place, and Nottingham Two, in Midland Way, had failed the tests.

Both tower blocks are privately run and the companies have not yet said why the buildings failed the tests.

The city council previously wrote to the landlords of 500 private tower blocks in the city asking them to review safety standards and building materials in the wake of the June tragedy.

A spokesman from Kaplan, the company which runs the Global Point flats, said: “We have not received confirmation that the panels have failed.

“We are seeking to get this information from the owner and landlord.

“We have a lease of most of the interior of the building, but the exterior is managed by the landlord.

“Meanwhile, the building meets all safety standards, fire regulations and building regulations and requirements and has been independently checked and a safety certificate issued.”

Meanwhile, the building meets all safety standards, fire regulations and building regulations and requirements and has been independently checked and a safety certificate issued.

The Government said 240 high-rise buildings and a school in 57 local authority areas across the country have failed the tests.

Nottingham Two, Midland Way, has also failed the tests.

And local authorities are working with fire and rescue services to conduct safety checks on all such tower blocks.

After being contacted by the Government, Nottingham City Council has already made checks on 13 residential tower blocks it owns and runs through Nottingham City Homes, and found none had the same cladding thought to have contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire.

Nottingham City Homes and Nottingham City Council have both also said all council tower blocks in the city will have sprinkler systems fitted as an added precaution.

Last month Nottingham Trent University students were moved out of three blocks of flats at the campus’s Byron House development, on Hampden Street, while tests are carried out on cladding installed on all three.

Although around 70 people have been confirmed dead or missing presumed dead since the June 13 London fire, the full death toll is not expected to be known for months.

Grenfell_Tower_fire_(wider_view)
The fire at Grenfell Tower, North Kensington, is believed to have claimed the lives of at least 70 people.
(Picture: Natalie Oxford, cc-by-sa-4.0)

Survivors have been campaigning for answers asked about why the fire spread so quickly, amid suggestions new cladding fitted during a recent overhaul could have been to blame.

A Government spokesman said: “So far the cladding from 240 high-rise residential buildings, and one combined school and residential building, in 57 local authority areas, has failed the test, along with samples from seven buildings at six NHS Trusts, and another school.

“A total of 249 buildings have thus far been identified with cladding that has failed testing. All landlords and fire and rescue services for those areas have been alerted to the results and we are in touch with all 57 areas to support and monitor follow-up action.

“The landlords for all the affected buildings are taking action to inform tenants and implement the interim safety measures needed.

“In the meantime, local authorities are contacting fire and rescue services in their area to conduct fire safety inspections of all such tower blocks to inform them on what remedial works might be required.”

Notts TV has contacted the owners of Nottingham Two for comment.