Sheffield Raac review to examine 40,000 properties over concrete fears

Work to remove Raac at Abbey Lane Primary had cost £620,000, Sheffield City Council said

At least 40,000 council-owned properties in Sheffield are to be examined to see if they contain potentially dangerous concrete.

Schools, offices, community venues and social housing would be assessed for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), the city council said.

Deputy leader Fran Belbin said Raac had already been removed from Abbey Lane Primary at a cost of £620,000.

But other affected sites "urgently" needed to be identified, she said.

Raac is a lightweight material used mostly in flat roofing - but also in floors and walls - between the 1950s and 1990s and was considered a cheaper alternative to standard concrete.

The Health and Safety Executive has warned that Raac is now beyond its 30-year lifespan and may "collapse with little or no notice".

Fran Belbin, the authority's deputy leader, said council homes were "less likely" to contain Raac

Work to check for the crumbling concrete in Sheffield's schools had been "progressing rapidly", according to the city council.

Ms Belbin told BBC Radio Sheffield its review would first look at which buildings were likely to contain the material.

These properties would then be prioritised for assessment based on how well-used they were.

Council homes were "less likely" to have Raac, she added.

Abbey Lane Primary was the only school in the city where the material had so far been found, Ms Belbin said.

But she accused the Department for Education (DfE) of going back on a promise to pay for the removal of Raac from the site.

Abbey Lane Primary was so far the only one of its schools in Sheffield where Raac had been found, the city council said

She said the money had been spent on the Abbey Lane work "on the understanding that the DfE would be funding that removal".

"However, they have now said to us that they will not fund that," she said.

"It's unclear why they are penalising Sheffield for removing Raac quickly."

The DfE has been approached for a comment.

Sheffield City Council said it expected the review of all of its properties to take a year to complete.