Start date outlined for major fire safety repairs at Mansfield Council’s London building

It is as the authority looks to extend 24-hour security at the building, on Bedford Road, Clapham, for three-and-a-half months.

The moves follow an assessment of the building in 2018 which found “a number of” fire safety issues.

This included an absence of 60 minutes’ fire safety resistance in materials used across key escape routes, as well as compartmentation issues “inside the walls” which would make it difficult to contain a fire.

Overall, the authority has budgeted about £20 million from 2018-25 to correct the issues, despite buying the property – under the previous Mansfield Independent Forum administration – as an investment for £5.95m in 2017.

Repairs will lead to residents in all 40 apartments being moved into temporary accommodation.

A contract worth £2.2m was signed with London-based estate agency Lambert Smith Hampton earlier this year and will fund relocation fees for each household.

Once residents have left, the building is expected to be rebuilt internally.

Work was expected to get under way in August 2022, before Lambeth Council’s building control rejected Mansfield Council’s application due to a lack of information.

Work was then delayed until May 2023, before the authority postponed it until “at least September” due to complexities with the scheme, including a contractor still not being appointed and the council not receiving building control consent.

However, a new council report has now confirmed a start date for the “works phase”, the first time an official and specific date has been published by the authority.

The works are scheduled to take place from November 23 and the council expects this to lead to large portions of the building being closed off.

Michael Robinson, council strategic director, is also set to decide whether to extend the services of a security firm employed on site.

The waking watch security was initially employed in November 2021 to oversee the building after its fire protocols were upgraded to ‘simultaneous evacuation’.

Support Services Group has been on-site 24/7 in case a fire breaks out.

Its contract was extended earlier this year for a six-month period – costing £126,561.60 – and ends on August 2.

But Mr Robinson’s delegated decision scheduled could see the contract extended for a further 113 days until work begins.

The council also plans to enter another waking watch contract from November 24, to run until repairs are completed.

In a report ahead of Mr Robinson’s decision, the council said: “The works phase of the scheme is due to start on November 23.

“The closure of large parts of the scheme may reduce the number of waking watch staff required.”

Andy Abrahams, Mansfield mayor, said: “The council’s priority is always the safety of tenants.

“On August 2, we will be taking the key decision to go out to procurement for a security contractor responsible for the waking watch and safety measures in the building until remediation works are completed.

“For the safety of residents, we have continued our contract with SSG to allow the security measures in the building for residents to continue while we undertake the full procurement exercise.”

It comes just weeks after an opposition councillor urged the Labour administration to sell the building.