A destructive fire at the Spectrum Building in Chadwell Heath, East London, has prompted a thorough investigation by the London Fire Brigade.
- The building, constructed in 1973, originally served as an office for Du Pont before facing a long period of vacancy.
- In 2010, it was repurposed into residential flats, with further expansions approved in 2018 despite initial concerns over fire safety.
- By 2023, significant fire safety failures were identified, leading to enforcement actions and planned remedial work.
- As investigations continue, the history and modifications of the building are under close scrutiny.
The recent blaze at the Spectrum Building in Chadwell Heath has highlighted significant concerns regarding fire safety, necessitating an investigation by the London Fire Brigade. Built in 1973, this part-five-part-six-storey office structure originally housed industrial chemical manufacturer Du Pont. The building, made from concrete with precast concrete infill panels, stood on the 3,106 square-metre site at 22-42 Freshwater Road.
After sitting unoccupied for over three years, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham deemed the building unsuitable for continued use as an employment site by 2007. In 2010, permission was granted to convert it into thirty one-bedroom and thirty two-bedroom flats, maintaining commercial use at the lower and upper ground floors. This transformation included the addition of two extra floors with lightweight rainscreen cladding, reglazing of windows and doors in silver-grey UPVC, and the installation of large triangular private balconies.
The Planning Inspectorate approved a six-storey extension in 2018, despite initial local authority rejections due to parking concerns. During the planning process, fire safety issues were raised, particularly regarding the cladding on the upper floors, the cloth canopy above the nursery, wooden decking on balconies, and malfunctioning fire doors in corridors. Building owner representatives explained that the canopy was installed to prevent littering, while the rainscreen panels were specified by their manufacturer and independently checked for fire safety compliance within the structure.
The Spectrum Residents’ Association highlighted ongoing safety issues by submitting evidence to a parliamentary inquiry in 2022, noting non-compliance with building regulations at the time of construction. By April 2023, the London Fire Brigade had issued an enforcement notice to address inadequacies, including failures in reviewing the fire risk assessment and managing preventive measures, as well as providing adequate emergency routes and exits. Additionally, the premises required a more efficient maintenance plan for facilities and equipment used by fire-fighters.
In response, permission was granted in July 2023 to remove non-compliant cladding materials on the fifth and sixth floors, as well as to address window spandrels and balcony privacy screens throughout the building. Fleetwood Architectural Aluminium Ltd was appointed as the principal contractor for these remedial works, with repairs commencing in January 2024.
The ongoing investigation and planned remedial actions underscore the critical need for stringent fire safety measures in residential conversions.
