Cladding on BBC building ‘no longer meets safety standard’

‘CLADDING SAFETY CONCERNS’: Queens Court in Hull city centre

Cladding on a landmark office and residential building in Hull city centre “no longer meets the appropriate standard of safety”, a survey has found.

An inspection of Queens Court - which is home to the BBC and 115 residential apartments - identified safety concerns around some sections of cladding, prompting the immediate introduction of new safety measures pending the submission of the full survey report.

The measures include:

• New evacuation procedures

• Residents told not to smoke on balconies

• 24-hour patrols by trained marshalls

• Changes to the fire alarm system so the fire service is immediately notified if triggered, rather than a 999 call having to be made.

The survey was conducted last week on behalf of Garness Jones Residential, which manages the building on behalf of a mixture of shareholders or leaseholders.

The company said the review which identified the concerns was part of its proactive management of the site, and not one it was required to carry out by law.

Queens Court previously passed a Building Research Establishment (BRE) test carried out on behalf of Government following the devastating Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017.

The areas of initial concern are the grey cladding and the cladding around the stairs.

PASSED GOVERNMENT INSPECTION: Queens Court

Liam Parker, senior block manager at Garness Jones Residential, said: “Despite no regulations enforcing further checks on residential buildings with regards external cladding after passing the initial post-2017 BRE inspection, we instructed that a survey be carried out last week as part of our ongoing management of the building.

“As part of that survey it was found that some of the cladding at Queens Court no longer meets the appropriate standard of safety.

“Although we are still awaiting the full report to say exactly which parts are of concern, we have put immediate actions into place to protect the safety of all who use the building, and those in close proximity.

“We immediately notified Humberside Fire and Rescue Service to enable them to take appropriate measures. New evacuation procedures have already been established and communicated to all residents.

“Other measures already put in place have included a 24-hour waking watch at the site, ensuring the building is patrolled at all times by two trained marshalls. Residents have also been told they must not smoke on balconies.

“The alarm system in the building is being changed to immediately notify the fire service should it be triggered, rather than a 999 call needing to be made. Moving forward, we will be liaising with leaseholders to install additional heat detectors in the areas which have cladding.

“At this stage we do not know what the long-term solution is until we receive the full survey report but envisage that at least some of the cladding on the building will need to be removed and replaced.”

‘INITIAL AREA OF CONCERN’: The cladding around the stairs

He added: “Obviously, ensuring the building is fully compliant to regulations, and most importantly of all safe to all those who use it, is our priority and focus.

“It is positive that we have identified these concerns as part of our work, as this means we can take appropriate measures.

“We want to reassure residents and building users that Humberside Fire and Rescue Service is happy with the measures already put in place and that people are safe in the building.

“We will ensure all appropriate actions are taken to ensure the continued safety of all users of the building which is our priority.”

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service said it was notified about the survey findings on March 25.

A spokesman said: “Residents can be assured they are safe to remain in the building. The actions taken including the waking watch, the change to the evacuation plan, improvements to the existing fire alarm system, as well as the provision of safety advice to residents, all contribute to the building’s overall safety.

“Although the owners are working proactively with HFRS to resolve the situation and implement the appropriate interim measures, an Enforcement Notice under the relevant fire safety legislation has been issued to ensure the required improvements are made.

“Humberside Fire and Rescue Service will continue to work with the building owners and monitor the situation closely.”

Queens Court, which overlooks the historic Queens Gardens, was built in 2002.

The BBC occupies three floors of the building and presents regional news show Look North and BBC Radio Humberside from there.

Earlier this month, the corporation announced plans to open a new learning hub for young people at Queens Court as part of its strategy to have more focus and resources in the North.

Initial costs for the safety measures will be funded by a surplus from the monthly management fee paid by leaseholders for maintenance of the site, a spokesman for Garness Jones Residential said.

The cost of any longer term work, such as the removal and replacement of cladding, will be sought from Government funding available for residential developments like this where cladding issues have been identified, the spokesman said.