As high-rise buildings now come under the new Building Safety Regulator I expect that to improve matters, as even building control applications that would previously have gone to the local authority now go to the BSR to be considered, and works inspected by them. I'm not surprised that the building's block managers were so useless, the industry urgently needs proper regulation so these firms can be held to account for their failings rather than just shrugging when things go seriously wrong. If the leaseholders had control of the building they would have known everything that was happening on site, so stronger rights for leaseholders to seize control of their buildings from the likes of Aviva will also help reduce risks.
One quibble with the following: "As with many similar sites across the capital, rather than demolish the building and start again, the new owners decided to keep the factory’s 1970s concrete office block and convert it into flats, aimed at those who could not afford to live more centrally".
Planning policy incentivises owners to try to repurpose manifestly unsuitable buildings rather than knock them down and start again. If we had a better, more permissive planning system along the lines that Labour are proposing, I am not sure the owners would have retained the 1970s building.
With warm weather, I would suggest the source as one of those little foil tray barbecues. They're cheap and eminently portable, and can linger long after the meal was eaten. Heinlen or Hanlon, stupidity is a safer bet than villainy, and this applies as much to the other incompetents in our story. A frightening read to be sure, but in the wake of Grenfell, not an unfamiliar one.
On a lighter note, you made Mayor Khan look even grimmer than usual, dear boy, which is no small feat. That you stick it to the entire political spectrum is a constant delight, and a reminder of standards long absent from corporate journalism.
As high-rise buildings now come under the new Building Safety Regulator I expect that to improve matters, as even building control applications that would previously have gone to the local authority now go to the BSR to be considered, and works inspected by them. I'm not surprised that the building's block managers were so useless, the industry urgently needs proper regulation so these firms can be held to account for their failings rather than just shrugging when things go seriously wrong. If the leaseholders had control of the building they would have known everything that was happening on site, so stronger rights for leaseholders to seize control of their buildings from the likes of Aviva will also help reduce risks.
I enjoyed the article.
One quibble with the following: "As with many similar sites across the capital, rather than demolish the building and start again, the new owners decided to keep the factory’s 1970s concrete office block and convert it into flats, aimed at those who could not afford to live more centrally".
Planning policy incentivises owners to try to repurpose manifestly unsuitable buildings rather than knock them down and start again. If we had a better, more permissive planning system along the lines that Labour are proposing, I am not sure the owners would have retained the 1970s building.
With warm weather, I would suggest the source as one of those little foil tray barbecues. They're cheap and eminently portable, and can linger long after the meal was eaten. Heinlen or Hanlon, stupidity is a safer bet than villainy, and this applies as much to the other incompetents in our story. A frightening read to be sure, but in the wake of Grenfell, not an unfamiliar one.
On a lighter note, you made Mayor Khan look even grimmer than usual, dear boy, which is no small feat. That you stick it to the entire political spectrum is a constant delight, and a reminder of standards long absent from corporate journalism.