Southwest Sydney councils review high-rise building cladding in the wake of London tower block fire

Southwest Sydney ­councils are looking closely to see if any buildings in their areas might contain combustible cladding­, in the wake of the London tower block fire which killed at least 79 people.

The charred remains of the Grenfell Tower in London. Picture: AFP Photo/Niklas Hallen

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Southwest Sydney ­councils are looking closely to see if any buildings in their areas might contain combustible cladding­, in the wake of the London tower block fire which killed at least 79 people.

The NSW Government is considering setting up an inter-agency strike force to investigate high-rise residential buildings. Building owners will be told of any fire risks, be required to do a fire safety inspection within 30 days and remove and replace any unsafe material.

In August 2015, the NSW Department of Planning alerted councils about potential fire safety issues associated with cladding in multistorey buildings, following the Lacrosse unit block fire in Melbourne in 2014.

The Lacrosse building in Docklands, Melbourne. A fire there in November 2014 spread quickly due to aluminium cladding similar to that installed in Grenfell Tower, London. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Canterbury-Bankstown Council has been the certifying authority on a limited number of high-rise buildings with cladding but said it had been vigilant in ensuring it was compliant.

“Council has not had cause to investigate individual buildings in relation to unsafe cladding,” a council spokesman said.

“However, should the department now deem an audit of privately certified projects in the city appropriate, Canterbury-Bankstown Council would support such a decision, with the view it would be undertaken by the Building Professionals Board.”

The spokesman said if substandard projects were found to have been used in privately certified projects, enforcement action would most likely fall to councils.

“In order to ensure that such fire safety matters are properly and consistently addressed across the state, council will be writing to the State Government requesting a clear direction around enforcement associated with poor developments,” the spokesman said.

High-rise buildings in Bankstown. Canterbury-Bankstown Council says it has been vigilant in ensuring high-rise buildings were fire safety compliant. Picture: Phillip Rogers

Liverpool City Council chief executive Kiersten Fishburn said the council was investigating buildings to check if any contained ­unsafe cladding as a matter of priority.

Ms Fishburn said owners of buildings that may ­contain unsafe cladding will be asked to provide specifications of the material and the council would order the removal of any non-­compliant cladding.

A Fairfield City Council spokesman said council ­officers had reviewed the materials on high-rise buildings, including those under construction, and had not found non-compliant external cladding.

Various regulatory and enforcement options were available if non-compliant materials were found.

Bankstown Fire Station commander Chris Andrews said many people had contacted the station following the London fire. He said fires like this were extremely rare due to NSW’s strict fire safety regulations and fire protection in high-rise buildings.

“Importantly, residents in apartments should always evacuate immediately should an alarm of fire be raised,” he said.

“Get out, stay out until Fire and ­Rescue NSW advises it is safe to return.”