Reading flats fire: Money to rebuild flats 'kick in teeth'

Drone footage showed the extent of the damage caused by the fire at Rowe Court

The mother of a man who was killed in an arson attack has described a potential request for an extra quarter of a million pounds to rebuild the flats as a "kick in the teeth".

Barbara Morris' son Neil was one of two men killed in the fire at Rowe Court in Tilehurst, Berkshire, two years ago.

The money is required to pay Reading Borough Council a fee that applies to all new developments.

The council said it had "absolutely no intention" of asking for the payment.

Money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charge is meant to pay for changes such as road improvements and extra school places when developments, including new homes, are built.

A council spokesman said under national planning regulations the council was required to ask for the payment but wanted to see if it could find a way to exempt the site.

The threat of the additional cost to the flats owners, some of whom were made homeless in the fire, comes on top of the construction costs for the block of 24 homes.

Richard Burgess and Neil Morris both died in the fire

Roger Mercott, whose stepson Richard Burgess was the other resident killed in the arson attack, has described the situation as "morally wrong".

"If the council insists on this levy, it's profiteering from Richard and Neil's murder," said the retired policeman.

He added that the levy was meant to be applied to new builds where their construction might lead to a cost on the public purse.

He said the flats that were being built were effectively a "like for like" replacement.

Mr Burgess was a tenant so his family have no financial stake in what happens.

Roger Mercott, whose stepson Mr Burgess was killed in the arson attack, has described the situation as "morally wrong"

Mr Morris was an owner-occupier and his parents have continued to pay the mortgage on the flat, even though it was demolished to enable police to safely recover the men's bodies after the building had been classed as "unsafe" following the fire.

"We've done this for two years because Neil worked so hard to get the deposit together on his home," Mrs Morris said.

"He'd be horrified if he knew what we've been through. It's emotionally and financially stressful."

Flowers were laid at the scene last week on the second anniversary of the arson attack

Former Rowe Court tenant, Hakeem Kigundu, was jailed for the murder of the two men in October 2022 after a trial heard he bought 50 litres of fuel to burn the flats down following his eviction as a nuisance neighbour.

Carole Hudson's family owned the flat rented by Mr Burgess, who she described as both a "tenant and friend".

"So many people lost so much that night and the trauma remains," she said.

After getting planning permission for the re-build and appointing builders for the 12-month project she said they had hoped to finally concentrate on something positive, before they hit the "stumbling block" of the CIL.

Ms Hudson said the flat owners "don't have the funds to even contribute towards a levy", adding they were going into "another year yet again full of worry and anxiety as to what the future really holds for us".

She also called on Reading council to "step up and help".

Some flat owners were made homeless by the blaze

Reading Borough Council said it was mindful of what it described as the "unique and tragic circumstances surrounding Rowe Court," and added it did not want to cause additional stress to residents.

It said it had not asked for a CIL payment and had "absolutely no intention of doing so".

"We await more information from the developer and intend to continue to actively work with them to find a positive outcome for all parties on this site which also complies with the existing law," a spokesperson added.