Cardinal Lofts: Residents of evacuated Ipswich tower block call for 'clarity'
People living in the tower block were told last week they had to leave over fire safety concerns
Last updated 28th Feb 2023
People living in an Ipswich tower block say they're no closer to knowing if their homes are safe to live in a week after being told to leave the building for fire safety reasons.
Residents of the building near Ipswich Waterfront received a letter from the building's management company, Principle Estate Management, claiming "the property is no longer safe for occupation" last Tuesday.
The top three floors of the buidling had already been evacuated last November because of concerns about the cladding and fire-breaks fitted to the tower.
The new letter also advised residents that "failure to leave Cardinal Lofts immediately will result in Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service issuing a Prohibition Notice"
A Prohibition Notice is a health and safety measure requiring people to stay away from a property for their own safety.
However a week on from the warning letter no such Prohibition Notice has materialised.
A statement from Keystone, an estate agents which lets properties within the tower, claims "there will be no enforced eviction of Cardinal Lofts" and "it would appear you do not have to move out".
Alex Dickin, a campaigner who lives at Cardinal Lofts, told Greatest Hits Radio: "There's a huge amount of confusion surrounding the evacuation... last week residents were told to evacuate their homes immediately".
"Then on Friday evening we all received a letter which mentioned Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service were intending to serve a Prohibition Notice on the building.
"They have since distanced themselves from this statement and its clear we've been threatened with this lie".
"There isn't a clear direction on whether residents should return home or not."
"We request that Suffolk Fire and Rescue confirm that they will definitely not serve a Prohibition Notice on the building (but) if this is the care Principle Estate Manangement and the building's owner Grey GR have some serious questions to answer.
A spokesperson for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said:
“It has been incorrectly reported that Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) intends to issue a further prohibition notice on all of Cardinal Lofts if residents refuse to evacuate.
"The decision to recommend evacuation on Tuesday, 21st February 2023, was taken solely by Grey GR based on technical advice received and was not an instruction from SFRS.
"We have contacted Grey GR to ask them to clarify the situation with residents and hope they do so shortly.”
A statement from owners Grey GR said: “Following the combined results of several independent in-depth reports recently received by Grey GR, on 21 February 2023 we had no choice but to make the difficult decision to ask residents to leave Cardinal Lofts due to the risk to residents."
“We are aware that some residents have left the temporary accommodation that we had organised for them, to return to Cardinal Lofts.
"It is crucial that residents understand the risk to their safety, and we strongly encourage all residents to comply with the evacuation requirements.
“We understand this is a distressing time for residents, however the decision was made in the best interests and safety of residents and was not made lightly.
"This building is extremely complex, and the project plan involves a vast number of contractors and we are working with them ahead of beginning works, with the aim of being able to return residents to safer homes as soon as possible.
“The provision of hotels and meals is a short-term measure while we work with residents to understand their unique circumstances - medical needs, location requirements and family situations - with a view to sourcing apartments and other longer-term accommodation while the homes are being made safe."