Ipswich MP Jack Abbott warns of ‘catastrophic’ potential in plea to Government for fire safety fix funding at block of flats at Churchmans House

A Suffolk MP has warned of the ‘catastrophic’ potential of fire safety issues at a block of flats in a letter to the Government.

Yesterday, Ipswich MP Jack Abbott announced he would be writing to the Government to bid for funding to fix cladding issues on the outside walls of Churchmans House, in Portman Road.

The building’s leaseholders submitted plans to Ipswich Borough Council to fix the unsafe cladding last week and applied for funding for internal safety work.

In a letter to Rushanara Aki, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Building Safety, Mr Abbott makes the case for full funding to be awarded.

He said: “I am pleased the Government has said it is working on a funding agreement to support remediation works.

“It is nothing short of a national scandal that, seven years since the Grenfell Fire tragedy, progress on this potentially life-threatening issue has been so slow and piecemeal.

“This issue could be catastrophic for a number of my constituents.”

A structural report of the block in December last year recommended work to take place after finding issues ‘on the lower end of high-risk’.

Mr Abbott also pointed out that the Cardinal Lofts building, in Foundry Lane, which was built by the same developer, was evacuated in November 2022 and February 2023, first partially and then fully and permanently due to safety concerns.

He urged Government to make sure those responsible for the building safety crisis were the ones paying to fix it, rather than residents.

Mr Abbott added: “Here in Ipswich, there have been several clear examples of why we desperately need to push ahead with action and reform to finally tackle the country’s building safety crisis.

“Hundreds of people have been affected in our town alone. We must put an end to this constant uncertainty which puts lives on hold indefinitely.”