Cardinal Lofts: Residents of 'unsafe' Ipswich tower block receive offers to buy their flats
People living at the tower block were told to move out earlier this year over fire safety concerns
Last updated 13th Oct 2023
Residents and leaseholders at an Ipswich tower block, which was fully evacuated earlier this year over fire safety concerns, have received offers to buy back their flats.
Cardinal Lofts has been hit by years of fire safety and structural issues, with freeholder Grey GR identifying 17 separate elements of the building which need major work.
The nine storey block was built as part of the regeneration of Ipswich Waterfront after 2005.
People living on the top three floors of the tower block were told to leave their properties last November, with the rest of the apartments being evacuated earlier this year.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue has issued a prohibition order covering the building, preventing people living there.
Since then residents and leaseholders have faced months on uncertainty over the future of their properties, which could not be sold on.
It has now emerged that offers have been made to buy back the apartments, although its understood the value of these offers is far below what the homes were originally bought for..
In a letter, Grey GR write that they want to provide 'closure' to 'the situation we have all found ourselves in at Cardinal Lofts'
In a statement online, campaign group Ipswich Cladiators wrote the situation has left many with 'mixed emotions'.
"(It is) positive that the current freeholder have provided a route out of the Building Safety Crisis for leaseholders who have been left in limbo from a catastrophic failure in contruction, building inspections regime, and a toxic leasehold tenure."