Two buildings owned by Portsmouth City Council have been investigated and found to be ‘not as strong as expected’. 18 storey buildings Horatia House and Leamington House are home to 800 people.
Since the Grenfell Tower fire, issues with LPS blocks have been emerging across the country.
The Bison system of large panel construction was used in the buildings.
Horatia House and Leamington House both featured aluminium composite material cladding. Last year following the Grenfell Tower fire, this was removed.
An LPS high rise building in Newham partially collapsed following a gas explosion in 1968.
After this disaster, LPS blocks were meant to be strengthened however Southwark Council found out that tower blocks on its Ledbury Estate hadn’t been brought up to the required standard.
Since then, many other housing associations have been carrying out more checks on large panel blocks.
In Portsmouth alone, there are five other Council owned LPS blocks. However, the Council says that following structural surveys they have no concerns about these blocks.
Once suitable relocation areas are found, Residents of the 272 affected will be moved out “as soon as possible” but flats will not be evacuated immediately.
LPS construction became popular in the UK in the 1960s as a cost-efficient way of building housing.
(Image: Google)
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