Residents living in the shadow of the remains of Grenfell Tower have been told vital upgrades to their homes which have been delayed by more than six years may finally be completed following the announcement of fresh funding.
The Lancaster West housing estate, which surrounds the ruins of Grenfell, will receive £8m in new central government funding towards refurbishments as the ninth anniversary of the fire approaches later this month.
After the fire, which killed 72 people, those living on the west London development were promised that their neighbourhood would be turned into “a model 21st Century estate” by 2020.
However, despite only 35 per cent of the estate’s 795 properties currently meeting the Decent Homes Standard, upgrades to fire safety measures, windows, insulation and walkways have been significantly delayed.
Lancaster West is on the main access route to the Tower, which means the properties were heavily impacted by the fire itself and subsequent works to the Tower, which include forensic investigations.
The works have been overseen by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) council, which has cited funding shortfalls as a reason for the delays
Local MP, Labour’s Joe Powell, welcomed the funding but lamented that the works, which are expected to take three years, will still not be complete until more than a decade after the tragedy.
Confirming the new funding for Lancaster West, housing secretary Steve Reed told The i Paper there will be “independent oversight of the project to help ensure it is delivered in good time and of a good standard.”
Alderman Mushtaq Lasharie CBE, who is Chair of the Lancaster West Residents’ Association as well as a resident who has lived on the estate for decades, said that residents of the flats were “still under the care of psychiatrists” because of the impact the tragedy on them.
Lasharie added that while he welcomed efforts to try and speed up the council’s refurbishment work, he was “disappointed” that it had taken so long because of “funding gaps” and the UK’s “poor procurement processes.”
“We, the residents, have been living on a building site for the past 15 years,” Lasharie said. “This is because work began on Grenfell Tower in 2012. So we have been disturbed for so many years. It is affecting the children who grow up here,” he said.
Grenfell Tower itself is currently undergoing demolition works because the remains are structurally unsound.
Powell, the Labour MP for Kensington & Chelsea, claimed that the Conservative-led RBKC had “failed to live up to” the promise they made to transform Lancaster West nine years ago, as he welcomed the additional funding.
He said: “They’ve had nine years to change, and they can’t do it on their own.
“I’m glad the Government are looking at ways to bring in additional external accountability alongside the much-needed extra investment.”
Reed, said: “The Grenfell tragedy left a lasting impact on the entire community, and our thoughts remain with the bereaved families, survivors and all those affected.
“Residents deserve safe, high-quality housing and the refurbishments to the Lancaster West Estate will make a real difference.”
A report published in May estimated the complete refurbishment of the estate will cost £244m. Central government has previously committed £25m to the project.
Reed added: “We’re now providing further funding to drive the project forward, but that comes with clear expectations – residents must have a central voice in the process – they know the community best.”
RBKC was contacted for comment.
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