Only 8 out of 173 high-rise tower blocks pass BRE safety checks

Only eight out of 173 high-rise tower blocks passed safety tests on aluminium cladding carried out by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), according to The Guardian.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid announced this week that 165 blocks have been found to have unsafe cladding. Tests were ordered in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June 2017, which is estimated to have killed around 80 people.

BRE tests have been carried out on local authority blocks over 18 metres tall that are known to have aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding to determine whether they meet the BR135 building regulations.

There were seven different combinations of ACM cladding and internal insulation in use, of which three met the relevant standards and four were deemed inadequate. The inadequate versions were used on 165 housing blocks.

In addition to fire safety, the tests examined issues such as ability to withstand high winds. Javid said the testing had highlighted particular problems at the Ledbury Estate in Peckham, London, where towers require urgent reinforcement to reduce the risk of collapse.

In a statement to the House of Commons Javid said: 'The owners of affected buildings have been given detailed advice drawn up by our independent expert advisory panel. This covers steps to ensure the safety of residents including, where necessary, removal of cladding.'

The BRE tests have also been made available to private residential building owners, and Javid urged all private owners of similar blocks to submit samples for testing.