Cladding '˜not the same as Grenfell' says housing group

A housing association has denied that cladding used on one of its buildings in Bexhill is the same as that used on the ill-fated Grenfell Tower, in London which was destroyed in a ferocious fire in June.

A resident contacted the Observer with concerns that the same cladding had been used on Alexander Court in St Marks Close.

But housing association Optivo, formerly AmicusHorizon, denied this was the case.

A spokesperson for Optivo said: “The safety of our residents is our number one priority. We have robust procedures and comprehensive controls in place regarding fire safety which are reviewed and tested on a regular basis.

“We’ve reviewed fire risk assessments for all our high rise blocks, student accommodation, care homes, retirement schemes, key worker schemes and hostels.

“The cladding at Alexander Court in Bexhill is not the same as Grenfell Tower.

“The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) have requested information about blocks of six storeys or higher from local authorities and social housing providers.

“Optivo own or manage 98 occupied blocks of six storeys or above across London, the Midlands and the South East, including Sussex. We can confirm none of the blocks of six storeys or above in Sussex have the same cladding systems as Grenfell Tower.”