Brighton and Hove City Council "working on" plans for high rise at risk of collapse
“Resident safety remains our priority and additional measures have been put in place."
Plans for the future of a council block feared to fall down in a fire are being worked on by Brighton and Hove City Council.
Kingfisher Court in Whitehawk is one of eight in the city at risk of "disproportionate" collapse in a large fire or explosion.
The block in Whitehawk has been in the limelight recently for a four-year long bed bug infestation, which the council said they're doing "all they can" to remove.
This week some residents expressed that they felt knocking the building down was the only option, including Lois who lives there with her two sons:
"These flats were only meant to be built for 20 years, but they've been here about 50.
"They're obviously not fit for purpose, so we all feel unsafe."
Councillor Gill Williams, Cabinet member for Housing and New Homes, said:
“Surveys were carried out earlier this year by independent consultants as part of a review of local housing and found some buildings, including Kingfisher, do not meet some current safety standards in relation to their ability to resist a disproportionate collapse in the case of an explosion or large fire.
“A previous structural survey in June 2019 found the buildings then had no issues and were in good structural condition and there is no current danger from normal day-to-day living in this block.
“We appreciate the findings of the more recent surveys, which were shared with residents earlier this year, must be concerning for them, but there is no immediate danger to these buildings or the residents living in them.
“Resident safety remains our priority and additional measures have been put in place.
“We are working on plans to establish what happens to these buildings in the longer term and will continue to regularly update residents.”