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Grenfell Tower cladding still not removed from The Hamptons at Gillingham Marina

By: Ed McConnell emcconnell@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 14:06, 03 June 2019

Updated: 15:53, 03 June 2019

Grenfell Tower-type cladding is yet to be removed from a luxury apartment block almost a year after the owner was told to do so.

The 24-apartment Hamptons at Gillingham Marina was identified by Medway Council last summer.

The authority had used its powers under the Housing Act 2004 to demand the changes.

Grenfell Tower-type cladding was found on The Hamptons last summer

Interim safety measures, including getting residents to check alarms and ensuring there are no possible routes for fire to get to the external cladding, were implemented at the time.

Owner Omnicroft Ltd then unsuccessfully appealed against the improvement notice in October but were given longer to comply.

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But it's now failed to meet the May 9 deadline - the same day the government announced it would foot a £200 million bill to replace cladding on 166 similar blocks*.

Chief legal officer Perry Holmes said: “The safety of all of our residents is our main priority and we will continue to pursue this case to ensure the works are carried out.”

Grenfell Tower went up in flames in 2017 with 72 people dying in the inferno

The council said it would not be funding the works. Omnicroft has been approached for comment.

A total of 72 people were killed in the inferno that engulfed 24-storey Grenfell Tower in Kensington, London in June 2017. The fire was accelerated by the recently fitted cladding.

*Last month Prime Minister Theresa May said of the 176 private high rises identified as having the flammable aluminium wrapping only 10 developers had "done the right thing" and replaced it.

Due to growing pressure from the thousands of tenants affected the government has agreed to fund works to the tune of £200m, although that's likely to fall some way short of the total cost.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway

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