Milton Keynes: Fire safety concerns mean 400 flats have waking watch patrols

About 400 flats in a residential development needing fire safety work are now under a 24/7 waking watch patrol after a fire inspection.

Until last week, five of the 12 buildings in the Vizion block in Milton Keynes had a patrol.

After inspections commissioned by developers Barratt Homes, the watch has been extended to all blocks.

They will also now switch from a "stay-put" evacuation policy to simultaneous evacuation, the developers said.

After the 2017 Grenfell tower block fire in London, which killed 72 people, it was discovered remedial fire safety works were needed in thousands of blocks of flats across the country.

People living in the wooden-clad blocks, on the corner of Avebury Boulevard in Milton Keynes, have been told that Barratt Homes, which built them, will pay for this work.

The developer appointed a fire engineer to carry out an inspection of the buildings and initially issued advice to five blocks.

A letter dated 4 August from Y & Y Management, which manages the block, told leaseholders that based on "new information from Barratts, from their appointed fire engineer" and on "recent advice from fire and rescue services", there would be an "immediate change in the fire exit strategy site-wide".

"It has been considered that all blocks at Vizion, excluding Petersfield Green [townhouses in the social housing element across the road], should switch from the "stay-put" evacuation policy to a simultaneous evacuation," the letter said.

"Interim measures need to be implemented until the remediation works are completed."

The letter added that because there was no central alarm system "a waking watch patrol will be implemented with immediate effect until other solutions are available".

When the remediation works were completed, the "stay put" policy would return.

The letter does not say when these works would be completed and Barratt Developments said it did not yet have a start date.

One resident, who wished to be known only as Dr Maryam, said she was "not happy" and the patrols would not help her sell her property.

"At the moment the flat has zero value because of the cladding issue and that's not fair," she said.

"They have found a very easy, temporary solution... but they really need to get on with it and fix the issue.

"The fact that they've put this in place now just goes to show that there is a serious problem in this development."

Another resident, Diana Shem, who has rented a flat in the block since March, said the letter "had raised more questions than answers".

"They had a 'stay put' procedure to begin with because I believe our doors were fire resistant," she said.

"They've decided to change this [advice]... why?"

Ewelina, who has rented a flat in the block for five years, said the new advice would not make any difference because she would have always tried to get out of her flat in the event of a fire.

"Usually I think for myself in a dangerous situation, so even if somebody says to me 'stay home', no, I won't, because my life is more important," she said.

Barratt Developments said that after some "new advice" from its fire engineer it had worked with the managing agents to extend the interim waking watch to "all of the blocks at the development while investigations continue".

"All costs will be met by Barratt," a spokesman said.

In a statement, Y & Y management said its new fire safety strategy had "resident safety at the forefront" and the interim waking watch presence was a "proactive measure".

It said it was "committed to providing transparent updates to residents" who would not be financially responsible for the measures.

"Through collaborative efforts with Barratt and local authorities, we are expediting the challenging remediation process," a spokesman said.

"We empathise with leaseholders and occupants, providing support as they adapt to the new fire safety procedures.

"Barratts are running the investigations and funding the project in full."

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