Dr Stuart Hodkinson

Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, the UK government has put out for consultation far-reaching reforms to the regulation of high-rise residential building safety in England with a deadline of 31 July 2019 for responses. They include mechanisms to put residents at the heart of the new system such as access to building and fire safety information they need or request, and a fast-track route to a new Building Safety Regulator if their safety concerns are not dealt with effectively by building owners or landlords.

The aim of this project is to enable high-rise residents groups to properly scrutinise and inform the government’s proposals based on their vital lived experience. Partnering with key stakeholders - Tower Blocks UK, London Tenants Federation and Manchester Sustainable Communities – the project will bring together high-rise residents with other experts such as architects, fire engineers and surveyors, in a series of consultation events in Greater London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. A resident-focused briefing paper will be produced on the proposals with guidance on how to respond to the consultation before the deadline, and the views of residents will be presented in a report to government by the deadline. This rapid-response consultation will also develop future research collaboration plans with residents groups and others in relation to housing safety and resident involvement.

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