Northampton social housing block residents told cladding unsafe

Social housing provider Northamptonshire Partnership Homes said people in Alliston Gardens were being given the latest information

People living in a block of about 50 flats have been told the building is fitted with cladding that no longer meets safety standards.

The residents at Alliston Gardens in Northampton were visited on Monday by social housing staff.

The local council has said cladding on all blocks of at least seven storeys or 11 metres high (36ft) will be assessed.

Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH) said it was "really important" the issues were addressed quickly.

"We recognise this news may cause uncertainty for tenants at Alliston Gardens," said NPH chief executive Steve Feast.

He said residents were being given the "latest information" and there would be daily checks at the building, which was in the Semilong area.

• Lax guidance partly to blame for Grenfell - Gove

• Who has to pay to remove unsafe cladding?

• 'We are saddled with unsellable worthless homes'

Building fire safety standards were tightened in January and contractors have been compiling reports into about 10 unnamed buildings in Northampton.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), which uses NPH as a social housing provider, said residents at the other buildings affected by the changes would be visited this week.

The council said Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service would advise on minimising safety risks at Alliston Gardens, and on removing the "defective" cladding which was on the external walls.

Adam Brown, Conservative deputy leader at WNC, said: "Addressing these issues is a top priority for us."