Over 75% of Greater Manchester tower blocks below fire safety standards

Icon 25 on High Street in Manchester was made the subject of an enforcement notice

Inspections of residential high rises in Greater Manchester after the Grenfell Tower fire found over 75% failed to meet fire safety standards.

Of the 489 tower blocks inspected, 117 were "broadly compliant" with regulations, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said.

The figures were released after a Freedom of Information request by former fire safety officer Phil Murphy.

GMFRS said the majority of failing blocks now had "action plans".

The compliance inspections were carried out in all tower blocks in Greater Manchester to establish whether cladding or other building materials used presented any potential safety issues following the Grenfell Tower disaster in June.

'Notification of deficiencies'

GMFRS head of protection Jim Hutton said the fire service had taken "swift action to reassure local residents and take steps to ensure their homes are safe".

"Where issues have been identified, landlords and building owners have worked with GMFRS to put in place a plan to address these."

The block on Highclere Avenue in Salford has an enforcement notice which predates Grenfell

He said of the failing blocks, 66 had received "notification of deficiencies", two were the subject of enforcement notices, four were under 60ft (18m) high and not classed as high rises, one had a "pending" inspection and the remainder were the subject of "action plans".

GMFRS was now "revisiting residential high rise buildings where interim measures and action plans are in place and providing support", he said.

He added that a block having an action plan "doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't comply with fire regulations" and it could mean GMFRS has "requested a review of the fire risk assessment" or asked for more information about "what type of cladding system is installed on the building".