New cladding for Portsmouth flats approved after fire risk showed improvements were needed following Grenfell fire

Vivid Housing, the owner of the 6 Portsmouth Road building which is made up of flats above an Anytime Fitness gym, put forward the proposals after a fire risk assessment found improvements were needed. Having been approved, the housing association will now be able to replace combustible cladding and balcony decking with a non-combustible alternative to meet the requirements of the EWS1 certificate introduced in the wake of the Grenfell fire.

Council planning officers welcomed this improvement, granting permission despite saying there would be a noticeable change to the appearance of the building as a result of the replacement material.

Under the approved plans, the current light grey cladding and balcony decking would be replaced with a darker ‘fire resilient’ Rockpanel material. Vivid said this would modernise the building’s look while improving its fire safety rating.

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Vivid said the work was needed to make sure the building remains at a ‘high standard and is safe and habitable’ and would make sure it is ‘safe for residents for years to come; this is a significant benefit of the proposals’.

‘Following a recent survey, it has been confirmed that there is a health and safety risk to the occupants and neighbouring community due to the combustible nature of some of the existing materials,’ it said in a statement submitted with the application.. ‘As such, the proposal seeks to replace the existing combustible insulated cladding panels with new non-combustible panels…This is necessary to provide a safe, fit-for-purpose residential environment.’

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Fire engineer Tony Cash, who was commissioned by Vivid to assess the scheme, said the work was necessary.

‘An initial external wall fire safety inspection undertaken at the building…revealed that the external wall systems have a detrimental impact on the overall fire safety of the building and that remedial works are required,’ his report said.

Planning permission was granted earlier this month.