CHANGE OF FIRE ACTION POLICY

20TH MARCH 2025

iN THE EVENT OF A FIRE YOU MUST LEAVE THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY

Please read why we have made this important change

We take security very seriously. For obvious reasons will keep details to a minimum here.  If you have concerns, please contact the managing agent.

External wall and Fire Risk Assessments by Bellway Limited

Since Grenfell, the Government set up a scheme that fire safety defects found to exist from the time of the original build, should be made good at the developers’ own expense.  BCML applied under this scheme, and Bellway instructed AnstleyHorne  conduct the inspections in March 2025.

Note: Bellway are only responsible for defects arising from the original build.  Any remediation work that Bellway may subsequently do could save our development a great deal of expense.

What works were carried out?

Bellway conducted two separate types of inspection:

  1. External Wall survey.
  2. Internal Fire Risk Assessment

Each ‘compartment’ in a building, i.e. flat or whole block, should be secure through the use of fire-resistant materials for walls, floors and ceilings. This ensures flames, heat and smoke should be contained in that one unit for between 30 to 120 minutes, giving people time to escape and allowing emergency services to arrive and take control before the fire spreads.

Results of the Works - Change of Fire Action Plan

A review was undertaken of the information provided from Bellway, received via Anstey Horne. There are serious life critical defects within the buildings, that requires an immediate change in the evacuation needs of the buildings. 

There is no fire alarm in our development so the only way to meet the need is to have a ”Waking Watch” to raise the alarm in the event of a fire, and stage an evacuation process if the worst were to happen.
The Fire Action Plan must change from Stay Put to Get Out until such time as all remedial works are completed

Waking Watch

We have  informed all residents  that a “Waking Watch” has had to have been put into place in the development, effective immediately.  Thursday 20th March 2025

Following our own FRA last year, we have been liaising with Bellway for them to assess their responsibility for building defects.   As such, recent assessments were carried out by Anstey Horne on behalf of Bellway, as part of their obligations under the Developer Remediation Contract with the UK Government, and these have identified significant construction failings within all buildings on the development ((Swallow Court did not fall within the assessment) that  impact fire safety. As we had anticipated, but confirmed in greater detail by the ‘intrusive’ inspection this month, these include.

  • Other critical defects, reference to Fire Doors and Smoke Control Systems.
  • Lack of fire compartmentation and absence of fire stopping measures.

Given the nature of these findings, it is a legal requirement by Berwick Court Management as the PAP to submit a Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and notify the Fire Brigade accordingly about the need to change the Fire Action Policy for the building, from Stay Put and move to a simultaneous evacuation policy – “Get Out”, and this has to be adopted with immediate effect

 

Warwick Estates on behalf of Berwick Court have instructed a company called ProFM to conduct the Waking Watch. ProFM who have been supporting Warwick Estates at another development. They have, in accordance with the NFCC Guidelines for Waking Watch, provided a quotation for £17.50+VAT per operative, per hour – due to the risk, size, and nature of the developments layout.  To ensure meeting the requirements; they have advised that a total of 19 operatives shall be required, 24/7 – until further notice.

ProFM will be patrolling the development each day in the buildings as required. They will sound an alarm if required to do so, then they will evacuate the relevant building(s) if needed.  They will work in 12-hour stints, so there will be a different team in the day for 12 hours, than the 12 hours night coverage. The waking watch is a 24/7 process until the fire action plan can be changed back to a stay put; or a get out with a suitable audible alarm and other fire protection measures. 

Berwick Court are liaising with Warwick and Bellway to find an acceptable, temporary fire alert system measure until remediation works are completed.   In the meantime, we have no option but to continue with the Waking Watch.  Something had to be out in place with only a few hours’ notice, so we are working very hard to put an alternative measure in place as soon as possible.

We are fully aware this may come as a surprise to the Leaseholders and of course this will cause concern about both the safety of the building and the cost that will be incurred. 

Warwick Estates have reassurances from Bellway Homes on the reimbursement of costs for the Waking Watch and also confirmation of their covering urgent work required. We will of course keep all Leaseholders updated on these matters as and when it’s possible to do so.