Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has confirmed that the remains of the Grenfell Tower will be “carefully taken down” to the ground.
The government will work with a specialist contractor in the coming months to develop a plan for dismantling the building in a process that might take around two years. No changes will take place before the eighth anniversary of the tragedy in June this year, the government added.
Some survivors and bereaved families said the tower should remain as it until those responsible for the fire that killed 72 people are prosecuted, the BBC reported.
A spokesperson for Grenfell United, a group representing some bereaved families and survivors, said that no one supported the plan at a meeting they had with Rayner earlier this week.
Grenfell United representatives said that ignoring their wishes was “disgraceful and unforgivable”. Downing Street said Rayner held the meeting to make sure bereaved families and survivors were the first to hear the government’s decision.
Condition ‘will continue to worsen’
A report prepared by independent experts, including engineers, found that the condition of the tower “will continue to worsen the longer the building is left in place” and it only remains stable because of props and additional measures, the government said.
“Taking the engineering advice into account, the deputy prime minister concluded that it would not be fair to keep some floors of the building that are significant to some families, whilst not being able to do so for others and knowing that, for some, this would be deeply upsetting,” said the government in its update about the tower today (7 February).
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it worked with the Metropolitan Police, HM Coroner and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to ensure that the decision to take down the tower does not interfere with the ongoing criminal investigation.
Last month, the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission and RIBA announced the five shortlisted architecture firms to design the memorial to be built on the site of the tower.
Over the years since the disaster at Grenfell the condition of the building will have significantly worsened, and despite the fact that the building has been covered / protected will further deteriorate due to corrosion of steelwork and concrete elements over the years.
I would expect that the ongoing enquiry to prosecute those responsible for the problems will undoubtedly take many years from now to resolve, with designers pointing the fingers at material suppliers, contractors and lack of inspections of the works at significant points during the works.
I feel that the demolitiion of the block should commence, and be fully recorded visually to demonstrate or highlight any further issues or problems which have not yet come to light.
I further feel that those affected would not be constantly reminded of the problem with the tower block remaining in situ.
The people affected need “closure” and those responsible charged.