Plans in to make Pall Mall resi block safe

The removal of flammable cladding and timber balconies from a seven-storey residential block in Liverpool city centre form part of a Government-funded remediation package. 

The building, 40-44 Pall Mall, is over 18-metres tall and has been designated as eligible for a Building Safety Fund grant.

However, in order to access cash from the Whitehall fund, work must begin by September, according to a design and access statement prepared by Craig Foster Architects. 

After an investigation by fire safety officers, a number of potentially hazardous materials are to be removed from 40-44 Pall Mall, which is managed by Matthews & Goodman on behalf of a private landlord. 

These defects discovered include: 

• Metal faced spandrel panels around windows 

• Aluminium composite material based products 
• Micro-rib composite panels containing flammable insulation 
• Timber associated with balconies 

Situations such as the one at 40-44 Pall Mall are impacting sales of flats across Liverpool and the rest of the country. 

Liverpool-based agency City Residential said the residential market in the city “continues to suffer from the fall out of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and cladding issues”, claiming that many apartment blocks are currently “unmortgageable” as a result of having faulty cladding. 

Due to the ongoing cladding crisis, many mortgage providers are refusing to lend to buyers unless an EWS1 building safety form can be provided. However, EWS1 forms are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. 

“While the original requirement for the EWS1 form was for tall buildings with cladding, it has slowly been extended to almost all buildings,” according to City Residential’s Q1 market report. 

“We have seen examples of buildings that are free from cladding and with very limited fire risk failing EWS1 tests due the lenders worsening view on accepting any risk whatsoever,” the report added.

Matthews & Goodman was contacted for comment.