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Safety fears shut passport office until January

BBC A barrier of temporary fences, secured together with yellow and black tape, outside Durham Passport Office.BBC
The area surrounding Durham Passport Office has been cordoned off for public safety reasons

A passport office will be shut until January after its building was damaged in high winds last month.

A terracotta cladding panel came free from the side of the building and fell through a skylight on the second floor, sources from the Durham office told the BBC.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, which represents staff, said "shoddy workmanship" had put its members at risk.

The Home Office said customers would have to travel to other offices if they required a passport urgently.

City of Durham Labour MP Mary Kelly Foy said employees had "previously expressed concerns about the building".

Foy said: "For a building that was only opened in September 2016 to be reported to be in such a shoddy, and potentially dangerous, state is incredibly concerning.

"It further highlights the importance of building safety measures and that adequate inspections should take place both during and post-construction."

Foy said she would ask the government's building safety minister to investigate.

A sign which reads 'DANGER KEEP OUT' in red letters, with the Durham County Council logo at the top, attached with black and yellow tape to railings near Durham Passport Office. In the background, cones and temporary metal fences are visible on the path adjacent to the office.
People requiring a passport urgently were told to go other offices

A Home Office spokesperson said the office had to stay closed "for the safety of our staff and customers".

"We will still be providing a quality service, with contingency measures in place to ensure that people continue to receive their passports in good time."

Travellers posting on social media said they had to go to Glasgow, which is 150 miles (241km) away from Durham, to obtain an urgent passport.

Foy said temporary measures should be put in place for people in the area to access priority services "which do not involve extended, costly journeys".

Durham County Council said the closure of the adjacent road and paths would be "lifted as soon as it is safe to do so".

Building safety manager Ted Murphy said local businesses and residents would still be able to access their properties.

The PCS union said staff had been relocated to other offices in the North East while repair work is completed.

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