Plans to replace 'combustible' cladding on Horsham flats after Grenfell tragedy

Owners of Kings Gate flats in Albion Way, Horsham, are applying to Horsham District Council for a ‘lawful development certificate’ to carry out the work.

They propose to remove existing external insulation cladding on flats 1 to 28 and flats 53 to 66 at Kings Gate and replace it with a new system.

Lawtech Group, agents for the owners, say in a statement to the council: “Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, our client – Kings Gate Horsham RTM Company Ltd – has undertaken a detailed review of the existing development at the addresses.

"Upon review of the external wall cladding materials used in the construction, it was identified that the development has been constructed with combustible cladding materials, and as such require remediation to ensure compliance with the current building fire safety regulations.”

Seventy two people died in the Grenfell tragedy and another 70 were injured on June 14 2017 when fire broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block of flats in North Kensington, West London, just before 1am.

Another 223 people managed to escape from the burning building. The fire was said to have been started by an electrical fault in a refrigerator on the fourth floor of the tower block.

The Kings Gate flats in Horsham were built in 2002 as part of a development on Kings Gate, off Albion Way. The site consists of two blocks of flats – Block C flats 1-28/53-66, where it is proposed to replace the cladding, and block D flats 29-37.

Lawtech say that terraced houses 38-47 and 48-52 at the development ‘do not require fire remediation works.’