Barton House: what happened and what is Bristol council doing about it?

Can you tell me what has occurred at the Barton House residential building in Bristol?

Barton House is a tall building that has been around for 65 years. It was constructed during the end of the 1950s using sturdy materials, like reinforced concrete cross walls, pre-casted concrete floors, and reinforced concrete external walls.

The council hired a structural engineer to inspect three flats on Monday. The engineer submitted a report that made the council conclude that an explosion could harm the structure. Consequently, the building was emptied on Tuesday, forcing many residents to seek temporary shelter elsewhere.

According to Kye Dudd, a member of the city council responsible for housing services, there is an issue with the way the concrete sections were connected to the supporting walls. He mentioned that it was not constructed in accordance with the design specifications. This statement was made on Wednesday.

The local government announced that if there was a fire, explosion, or significant impact, there is a possibility that the structure of the building could be at risk. They are currently conducting additional assessments. Barton House's design and age are distinctive among the council's housing developments, and currently, there is no proof of similar concerns at other locations.

When did people first notice the threat?

The block underwent strengthening and repairs for its concrete around 1970 but no structural surveys were documented until at least 2018 as disclosed by a freedom of information response from the council five years earlier.

The reply confirmed Barton House is among five housing blocks owned by the council, which are constructed using a large panel system (LPS). This method has been acknowledged as a potential threat ever since a gas explosion occurred at the Ronan Point tower in east London in 1968, which was also built using LPS. Unfortunately, four people died when the tower partially collapsed.

In the 2018 FoI response, several blocks were mentioned as being constructed using LPS in Bristol. These included Charleton House, John Cozens House, Haviland House, and Langton House. Unfortunately, three other LPS blocks, namely Glendare House, Rockingham House, and Wintour House, were already destroyed by the time of the response.

According to the council, there are no documents about any structural assessments done on these buildings. However, old records from 1970 indicate that there might have been some inspections done back then.

This could make the locals worried that the troubles at Barton House may not be limited to just that one place, despite what the council's current findings indicate.

Does the situation at Barton House apply only to that particular place or is it a widespread problem across the country?

During the housing boom that occurred after the war, LPS systems were commonly employed. However, numerous council estates have encountered challenges with these systems, resulting in the relocation of inhabitants and the demolition of structures.

Tower Blocks UK, a source of knowledge and support for people who worry about tall buildings, reports that roughly 575 social housing structures in England relied on LPS systems.

The Peckham Ledbury Estate was constructed with deconstructed cement boards that were transported by trucks for assembly on location. Subsequently, in 2017, technicians were summoned to evaluate the crevices which measured at 3cm wide that were frequently opening and closing due to the climate. Following their inspection, it was concluded that the properties were in danger of being destroyed in an unbalanced pattern in the event of a gas explosion from the gas pipeline supply. The Southwark council granted permission for the demolition and reconstruction last year.

Several other neighborhoods have also been impacted by the issue, such as Broadwater Farm in Tottenham and Aintree in Hammersmith and Fulham. In Portsmouth, residents of LPS buildings had to relocate as Horatia and Leamington House were taken down in 2022. Likewise, residents in Rugby's Biart Place were evacuated from buildings with faulty LPS walls, and the blocks were bulldozed in 2021.

Is it possible to solve the issue?

According to engineers, it's possible to make LPS blocks stronger, but it usually involves removing all the buildings' fixtures which is expensive and disruptive. As a result, tearing the buildings down is often the preferred solution. One significant danger of LPS blocks is the presence of a gas supply. To prevent explosions, turning off the piped gas is an option, and the usage of portable gas canisters is frequently prohibited.

How is the government addressing this issue?

In 1984, the government asked councils for their opinion on LPS in housing. In 2017, the government reached out once more to request that the owners of LPS blocks conduct investigations into their buildings.

During a meeting with council chief executives, the head of the government's building safety program warned about the potential dangers arising from cracking, gas explosions, and fire compartmentation. She explained that the structural planning of large panel system buildings can differ between buildings, even if they were originally designed to be identical. Therefore, every building has to be evaluated on its individual qualities.

There is increasing worry among officials in the British government that insufficient measures have been put in place. In December of last year, a high-ranking government employee formally requested that Lee Rowley, who was then responsible for building safety and is now the housing minister, approve a program that would assess the safety of older social housing structures constructed with LPS concrete across the country.

Last month, The Guardian informed us that a civil servant resigned because they were annoyed that the government wasn't dealing with serious safety risks linked to buildings. According to The Guardian, the civil servant's resignation letter mentioned that the government’s structural safety working group flagged up some concerns in 2021. This included the safety of large panel system buildings that have not been reinforced after the Ronan Point tragedy in 1968, which worried Arup.

Has the government altered its strategy on constructing security following the Grenfell Tower tragedy?

The Building Safety Act was passed into law last year, which spells out that building owners need to make sure their buildings are safe from both structural and fire hazards. From next April onwards, they will need to obtain a safety certificate from the Building Safety Regulator, as advised by the Institute of Structural Engineers. The safety assessments being carried out are focused on how well the building performs in the event of a fire or accident. There are approximately 12,500 buildings that must undergo assessment within a span of five years.

What occurs with the occupants of the Barton House?

Officials from the council recommend that tenants temporarily reside with their acquaintances or family members while additional examination and analysis are conducted. If an individual is unable to secure temporary lodging elsewhere, the council has established a provisional shelter at the Tawfiq Masjid & Centre, which provides beds, food, and beverages. Additionally, the council is in the process of creating more provisional shelters.

The council stated that the duration of this temporary agreement relies on another assessment of the edifice.