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Issue 58 | January 2020
What’s happening in Beeston, Belle Isle, Cottingley, Holbeck, Hunslet, Middleton & Stourton
RESIDENTS ENGULFED IN CLADDING CRISIS
In this issue:
Environmental heroes
page 6
Festive photos roundup page 11-12
Stress and uncertainty as building owners shift safety costs to flat owners
H
by Ed Carlisle
undreds of South Leeds residents enter 2020 facing the threat of huge ‘lifechanging’ bills – tens of thousands of pounds per household – and maybe even eviction, following the news that their apartment blocks have failed key fire safety regulations. December saw residents of several blocks in Leeds Dock (formerly Clarence Dock) and elsewhere in the city receive letters from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), and/or their building owners or senior leaseholders. These set out the failings of their buildings, the costly fire safety measures now necessary – and in many cases, the insistence that the leaseholders (the owners of the individual flats) would collectively foot the bill. Residents have expressed disbelief and outrage, saying they feel “blackmailed”; and others have called it a “nightmare” saying they’re “sick with stress” and “feel trapped and at gunpoint to costs that we cannot control.” They are getting organised via a ‘Leeds Cladding Scandal’ campaign, and linking with national groups – but for many, there is currently little hope of finding a positive way forward. Daniel Marquina lives in Leeds Dock, and told us: “Most of us are first-time
buyers, living here, putting all our savings into the mortgage – but now we’re facing these very high costs, and it’s very worrying. I don’t understand why we (the leaseholders) have to pay, instead of the building owner. The government has to help us.” The situation follows the Grenfell Tower tragedy in west London in June 2017, in which 72 people died. The government has since brought in rigorous new legislation covering building regulations for apartment blocks. These especially centre around a type of exterior cladding called ACM (Aluminium Composite Material) – but also cover other forms of cladding, internal building materials, and fire detection and alarm systems. This has led to a nation-wide survey of apartment blocks, and the announcement last year of a £200m government fund to enable privately-owned buildings to replace ACM cladding. Publicly or socially owned buildings were already covered by a separate fund. Some at-risk developments, including One Brewery Wharf and the Park Plaza, therefore have renovations underway, either via the government fund, or their own warranty schemes. But the situation for other blocks – including those at Leeds Dock – is more complex. First, the development companies who originally built them (below the legal
regulatory standard, even then) have since been dissolved – with allegations that they were ‘shell’ companies, designed to avoid future responsibilities like this. Furthermore, the blocks are over 10 years old, so fall outside of any warranties. Some argue that the government fund is hard to access, especially when there are perhaps over 100 individual leaseholders to consult. And several if not all of Photo: Skeeze via Pixabay the Leeds Dock blocks will also need substantial internal renovations – which are not covered by the government fund. Neither does the fund include other dangerous forms of cladding other than ACM, such as HPL (High Pressure Laminate); and nor does it include upgrades on alarm systems, nor interim costs such as ‘waking watches’ (where staff are employed on 24-hour fire detection duty). Some apartment Leeds Dock Photo: Harshill Shah via Creative Commons (cropped) blocks elsewhere in the UK have already had to pay related blaze in student the deputy chief fire officer for £100,000s for these services accommodation in Bolton in the county – cited a “lack of and alterations, and costs look November (in which thankfully action” from some building likely to spiral well above £1 no-one was injured or died), the owners, insisted that “interim WYFRS have lost their measures cannot go on in million for many blocks. These complications patience. In last month’s letter indefinitely” and called for apparently led to a standstill – to the owners of 10 Leeds “urgent action”. Continues on page 2 but following another cladding- developments, Dave Walton –
50 years a Scout Leader
page 18
Runners say Bah Humbug!
page 24
NEWS
2-9
SCHOOL LIFE 10-11 PHOTOS
12-13
COMMENT
14-15
ART LIFE
16-17
LOCAL LIVES WHAT’S ON
18 19-22
SPORTING LIFE 23-4
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