Boss promises MPs he will address alleged concerns by middle of this month
The boss of Anglo-Irish housebuilder Ballymore has told MPs he will fix problems suffered by residents of its 1,535-home New Providence Wharf scheme due to the ongoing fire-safety remediation works at the buildings.
Giving evidence to the housing select committee, Ballymore group managing director John Mulryan was forced to promise to resolve within two weeks alleged issues of low temperatures at the block compounded by poor communication by the developer, or face being hauled back in front of MPs.
Put on the spot by committee chair Clive Betts, Mulryan said: 鈥淚 will do everything I can to try and get that [resolved]鈥� but added that undertaking cladding remediation while residents were in place was by necessity going to be 鈥渦ncomfortable鈥�.
Ballymore鈥檚 flagship New Providence Wharf scheme, completed in 2005, includes a 43-storey tower and hit the headlines last year after a fire broke out in one of the buildings, spreading across multiple floors, prior to the cladding being removed.
Mulryan鈥檚 pledge came after the committee heard testimony from a resident of New Providence Wharf [see box], read out by Labour MP Ian Byrne, of apartments having been plunged into cold and darkness since work to remove dangerous cladding got underway.
The resident said it was now not possible to heat the flat to more than 12 degrees Celsius and that windows had been covered by monarflex sheeting, while rubbish was piling up in the streets due to access to the refuse store being blocked by scaffolding.
Byrne said the email from the resident said: 鈥淣ow we are suffering security issues with unknown persons climbing the scaffolding with ASB [anti-social behaviour] or criminal intent to break in. We have had to beg, plead and fight for information. Work has slowed down dramatically, we鈥檙e getting no information. We know we are delayed but we don鈥檛 know by how long.鈥�
Responding, Mulryan said that he admitted that communication with residents had been a challenge but said he did not understand why occupants should be suffering low temperatures, because insulation had not been removed. He also said the plastic sheeting had been put up to stop moisture getting into the fa莽ade.
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Mulryan said: 鈥淚n terms of the temperature that is shouldn鈥檛 be happening. So that鈥檚 something that we need to investigate and understand why that鈥檚 the case because the insulation has not been removed.
鈥淚 think the reality is that during remediation works and construction works and anybody who鈥檚 had construction work done will know that can be incredibly uncomfortable.
鈥淏ut I do think that across the industry 摆鈥 people will realise that the impact of the works on people 鈥� because these works have to be done while they鈥檙e living in these buildings 鈥� it is going to be uncomfortable. And I think we need to the key thing is we need to try and get the work done.鈥�
鈥淪ince Grenfell the level of communication 摆鈥 has been extraordinary. I do accept at times probably it hasn鈥檛 been as good as it could be. 摆鈥 But equally, I think it鈥檚 about regular communication on a monthly basis where you can give proper updates. Because, you know, giving updates on a day to day basis, it鈥檚 just not possible when you鈥檙e trying to deliver all these works.鈥�
Committee chair Clive Betts then asked Mulryan to resolve the issues of heating and of 鈥減roper contact and information to the residents鈥� within two weeks. He said the committee would be checking with residents to see that issues had been resolved. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure you wouldn鈥檛 want to be coming back explaining why that hasn鈥檛 happened. Okay?鈥� he said.
Mulryan agreed that this was fair.
The exchange was part of a new inquiry by the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee into Michael Gove鈥檚 cladding remediation policy, announced last month, under which he wants to force developers to pay 拢4bn to repair blocks of between 11m and18m in height with fire safety issues.
Full text of select committee exchange regarding New Providence Wharf scheme
Ian Byrne MP
I just want to read out an email I received last night which involves a building by Ballymore.
I want to give her the opportunity to let her voice be listened to and hopefully get an answer from your good self. The BSF mandated that all dangerous cladding got to be removed from the New Providence wharf by the end of 2021.
Ballymore has done that. We鈥檙e now suffering very cold temperatures, neighbours unable to get bedrooms above 12 degrees even with heating at a time when energy costs are soaring. Families trapped behind monarflex with no daylight. Rubbish just kept in open bins in the streets as scaffolding has blocked access to the refuse store.
And now we are suffering security issues with unknown persons climbing the scaffolding with ASB or criminal intent to break in. We have had to beg, plead and fight for information. Work has slowed down dramatically, we鈥檙e getting no information. We know we are delayed, but we don鈥檛 know by how long.
In the meantime, we are stuck in our freezing flats with no access to sunlight due to the plastic sheeting or fresh air due to the windows being sealed shut. I just wanted to give the opportunity for you to respond to that. And if you鈥檝e got 20 buildings currently under remediation is that a picture you鈥檙e seeing across all 20 or is it an isolated incident?
John Mulryan, group MD, Ballymore
I think that is isolated and at the moment and I think the reality is that during remediation works and construction works and anybody who鈥檚 had construction work done will know that can be incredibly uncomfortable to work while construct [sic]. These are significant construction works.
I mean, I was made aware of some of these issues and we are investigating. We haven鈥檛 removed any insulation from New Providence Wharf all the cladding has been removed. The reason for the mana flex, is we need to try and minimize moisture getting into the facade, so unfortunately that鈥檚 a necessity and I do agree it鈥檚 not ideal, the people not being able to look out the window.
So I think this will happen I think across - now in terms of the temperature that is shouldn鈥檛 be happening. So that鈥檚 something that we need to investigate and understand why that鈥檚 the case because the insulation has not been removed. So that鈥檚 something for us to do.
But I do think that across the industry, it鈥檚 something that you know, people will realize that the the impact of the works on people 鈥� because these works have to be done while they鈥檙e living in these buildings 鈥� it is going to be uncomfortable. And I think we need to the key thing is we need to try and get the work done.
IB
I totally get that. But it鈥檚 the lack of residents voices getting heard, a fight for information. So there鈥檚 obviously a breakdown somewhere, which I hope you do address.,
JM
Well you know, I think communication on these issues has been a huge challenge for organization 摆鈥. Since Grenfell the level of communication 摆鈥 has been extraordinary. I do accept at times probably hasn鈥檛 been as good as it could be. At New Providence Wharf we have a big team working on that. And there鈥檚 no excuse for not being able to communicate so I think, but but equally, I think it鈥檚 about regular communication on a on a on a monthly basis where you can give proper updates. Because, you know, giving updates on a day to day basis, it鈥檚 just not possible when you鈥檙e trying to deliver all these works. But listen, I take on the point on board and we need to try and communicate as well as we can.
摆鈥
Clive Betts MP
John, you鈥檝e obviously got a serious situation which you鈥檝e referred to on one of your blocks. Would it be fair to ask you 鈥� I鈥檓 going to ask you anyway 鈥� in two weeks will this issue of proper contact and information to the residents have been resolved and will the heating issues have been resolved?
JM
I will do everything I can to try and get that [resolved]
CB
Right. And I think we鈥檒l be asking the residents to give their report to us. And I鈥檓 sure you wouldn鈥檛 want to be coming back explaining why that hasn鈥檛 happened. Okay?
JM
Yep, that鈥檚 fair yeah.
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