A report going to Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet meeting in July is recommending that the council develops and consults on plans to knock down the large panel system (LPS) buildings and replace them with new council homes.
Concern about LPS blocks have come into focus since 72 people died as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, although the London high-rise flats were built in a different way.
The council-owned buildings affected are:
- Dudeney Lodge and Nettleton Court in Hollingdean
- Falcon Court, Heron Court, Kestrel Court, Kingfisher Court and Swallow Court in north Whitehawk
- St James’s House in Kemp Town
Since the findings of the surveys were released, the council has been working closely with residents to introduce extra measures to ensure the safety of everyone living there.
The council has also been carrying out a review of the future options for the buildings, and a report going to cabinet on July 17 will recommend that work begins on developing plans to regenerate the sites.
The other options looked at were to strengthen and refurbish the buildings. However, research found that strengthening work only guarantees the building’s safety for a further 20 years and requires significant investment. The council also said it would be “seriously disruptive for residents”.
The report sets out that strengthening the building is not seen as a viable or affordable long-term solution for residents or for the council.
If the decision is agreed at cabinet, the council will begin working with residents on the plans for the next steps.
The council has been in regular contact with the residents of the eight buildings to keep them updated as the work on the options has developed.
Resident days in all three areas are being held in the next week to give residents the opportunity to talk to housing teams about the recommendations in the report.
Resident advisory panels are also being set up for each area to help the council plan future resident engagement and work with it on the designs of the new homes.
Councillor Gill Williams, cabinet member for housing, said: “Since October last year, I have been working with officers and meeting with householders to explore the options about the future of these blocks.
“We recognise that these buildings have happy memories, in some cases for three generations of families.
“We honour that history. And it’s precisely because we care so deeply about the safety, quality and future of the homes that our tenants live in that we must now look ahead with clarity and courage.
“We explored every option—including strengthening and refurbishing the blocks. But that would only buy us 20 more years, at great cost and disruption, without solving the core safety issues.
“We believe our tenants deserve better than a short-term fix. This is about building homes that will last the next 60 years—not just the next 20.
“By creating more family sized homes in the city, it should reduce wait for a three-bedroom home down from the average of eight years.
“If cabinet agrees to move forward, we will begin working hand-in-hand with residents on every step of the journey.
“Resident days are being held in each area, and we’re setting up resident advisory panels to ensure that the new homes reflect the needs, the voices and the vision of residents. Most importantly, it’s about creating great homes together.
“If cabinet agrees then we understand that this would mean residents moving out of the homes that they have created and given that the proposed programme of works will not all start at once, this will be unsettling.
“So, we will ensure that no one will go through this alone. We will support every resident through the rehousing process, and we will do everything we can to help them stay in your local community if that’s what they want.
“We are fully committed to supporting residents during every step of this process, to listening to them, and to building a better future – together.”
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