Southend University cladding plans in wake of Grenfell fire

The University of Essex has now launched a search for a firm to replace the cladding and insulation on the distinctive 500-room student accommodation in University Square.

The blocks, which house students in the town centre, are known for their bold designs which have received mixed reviews from residents over the years.

However, the 10-storey buildings have been deemed dangerous and are set to be refurbished after the college was granted planning permission last year.

The cladding has been found to be a fire risk and must be replaced by December 2023.

Colin Nickless, 45, who launched a fire safety campaign across Southend in 2019 to raise awareness of dangerous cladding, said: “It’s good we are making progress, but at this point we are approaching five years since Grenfell.

“These are the exact same panels that were on the Bolton Cube building, which caught fire but very luckily nobody was killed, so you can understand why campaigners who want to get rid of these panels as soon as possible.

“So far it has taken far too long to get done and I hope that the university and the firm that wins the bid and is responsible for these changes acts as swiftly as possible to make these buildings safe for the students who are sleeping in them.”

The changes to the building follow the Grenfell tower block fire in 2017, which killed 72 people.

Unsafe cladding had been used on the west London building, prompting an urgent inquiry.

The cladding on the university buildings, high pressure laminate cladding, is the same used at the Cube student accommodation in Bolton which caught fire in 2019, with the cladding blamed for how quickly the fire spread. The plans will also see the blocks’ bold exterior of yellow, blue and green geometric panels replaced with subtle tones in a fish scale pattern while three clock faces at the top of the buildings will be replaced with digital clocks.

Interested firms have until April 8 to submit bids.

A spokesman for the University of Essex said: "Our review of our cladding at University Square confirmed the system is not the same as that used at Grenfell, but it also highlighted it does not meet Government guidance. We are now planning to replace all cladding and insulation materials at University Square, to meet the Government’s new enhanced fire standards. We are at an advanced design stage and expect to complete the work by December 2023.

“In consultation with the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service we’ve put in place a number of mitigation measures which means the building can continue to be occupied safely.  

“These mitigations include no residential occupancy above 18 metres and enhanced security provision 24/7. We also have a policy of full evacuation in the event of a fire alarm activation as opposed to a ‘stay put’ policy and this evacuation is supervised at all times by our on-site security staff.”