Mansfield Council’s £20m repairs to London building delayed until ‘at least September’

The council, which is looking for a contractor for major safety repairs at the site, said the delay has been caused by the “magnitude” of the “complex” project.

It leaves residents living in the Clapham North building facing more delays after two previous push-backs on the repairs.

Overall, the Labour-run authority is expected to spend £20 million by 2025 fixing problems at the building, despite buying it as an investment for £5.95m, when controlled by the Mansfield Independent Forum.

Work was due to start in August 2022, but the council’s building control application was rejected by Lambeth Building Control that month.

The work was then delayed to May 2023, with a contractor appointed earlier this year to begin moving residents out from all 40 flats this month.

Walls, floors and ceilings will then be ripped out, so the building can be rebuilt internally.

Alongside the repairs, the authority has committed to funding all relocation costs, fees and charges for each household.

The ‘decanting’ contract to rehouse residents will cost more than £2m, but the authority has confirmed this work has again been delayed.

A council spokeswoman said: “Given the magnitude of this project, the timetable for the works to begin is fluid.

“We have updated residents to say decanting works will not commence until at least September.

“However, once a contractor is appointed, we hope to have more clarity on the detailed timelines. When we have this , we will issue further updates.”

Couple Harry Palmer and Charlotte Veal have owned a leasehold on a flat in the building since it was built in 2017.

Mr Palmer, an IT account executive said the situation have forced them to leave the building and rent out their flat at a loss each month. They have moved to Twickenham, saying this option was more cost-effective than staying in the Clapham building.

He said: “The council needs to take some responsibility and allow people that want to move on with their lives to do so.”

Resident Ann McCann, aged 68, said: “It’s been fine living here, but because of the fire safety issues I don’t know what’s going to happen next.

“The council has been very helpful. I missed one residents’ meeting and another one was cancelled recently, so I’m not sure if any more has been said on when we will move out. They had said this month, but I can’t see it being any time soon.”

The council said an updated application has been submitted to get work started.

A council spokeswoman said: “The council, as a responsible landlord, has always put safety first for the residents at Bedford Road and will continue to do so until the remedial works at the property are completed.”

The purchase of the building was approved in October 2014, but did not officially go through until early 2017 when construction on the site, at 50-52 Bedford Road, concluded.

It was bought as a way of shoring up budgets during austerity after a Government drive encouraging councis to diversify their income streams.

But following the June 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster, the building was found to no longer meet updated fire safety regulations.