Refurb plans for council blocks over safety issues

Two residential blocks in north London have been proposed for a pilot refurbishment project following safety concerns.

In 2018 a structural survey found hundreds of homes on the council-owned Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham were at risk of collapse.

The estate was built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, using pre-fabricated concrete panels known as Large Panel System (LPS). There have been concerns growing in recent years over its safety due to the potential for collapse in the event of a gas boiler explosion.

Planning documents, seen by the the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), said "fire safety" and "structural strengthening" were the primary design drivers for the refurbishment.

Refurbishment works have been proposed for nine blocks with two put forward for a pilot project.

The LDRS said Rochford and Martlesham blocks would undergo the pilot refurbishment with structural strengthening, improved fire safety measures and increased energy efficiency.

Works would also include replacing windows and doors and improving the courtyard and play areas, as well as the communal entrances.

An application was submitted in January and a decision is expected to be made imminently.

According to the LDRS, two blocks on the Broadwater Farm estate are already being demolished and gas supplies have been removed from all remaining homes.

A resident ballot was held in 2022 and 85% of those who voted supported the delivery of new homes on the estate, the first of which were delivered in autumn last year, and improvement works.

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