Gove tells lawyers to step in over Ipswich flats evacuation

The government has asked lawyers to step in after people in a block of flats were told to leave without notice due to fire safety concerns.

Cardinal Lofts at Ipswich's waterfront was evacuated on Tuesday.

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, posted on Twitter that freeholder Grey GR had "let down people living in their buildings".

Grey GR has been asked to respond to Mr Gove's comments.

In his post Mr Gove said: "The safety of residents must be the top priority. This is not the first time Grey GR and @railpen have badly let down people living in their buildings.

"They must fix them urgently, so that people can get back in their homes."

In a second post, he added: "Our new laws are clear. The liability is clear. Our intention and commitment to prosecute those who do not do the right thing is clear.

"I have now instructed action this day from our lawyers."

The building was first found to pose fire safety risks three years ago, and residents of the top three floors of the nine-storey building were asked to leave in November 2022, after reports cited ineffective automatic opening vents alongside a single access staircase.

Grey GR, in a statement sent on Tuesday, said the "combined results of several in-depth reports" showed the "internal compartmentation" was "below expected standards".

"The property is no longer safe for occupation," a spokesman said.  "We are sincerely sorry to residents and understand how upsetting this news is, however their safety is our utmost priority."

Claire Hamblion, has a flat on the first floor and is one of a few refusing to leave.

"This issue has been known about for three years now. The freeholders' have not done anything to put this building right," she said.

"There's other buildings in this town that are being put right. Why are we being evacuated?

"We've not been given any guarantees that this work is going to be done or completed.

"If I leave my home now, I don't even know if I'm ever going to get my home back."

Cardinal Lofts is one of several buildings in Ipswich identified as unsafe following the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017.

A previous safety report identified "combustible materials" in the Ipswich building's cladding.

Legal action against Grey GR, which is owned by RailPen, was taken in October, over two years of delays to remediation work on Vista Tower in Stevenage.

The BBC has also asked RailPen for comment.

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