These changes have been made to Halifax flats in wake of Grenfell Tower fire

Safety work ordered out on Halifax tower blocks in the wake of the Grenfell flats tragedy has reached its next stage.
Mixenden flats with their new cladding.Mixenden flats with their new cladding.
Mixenden flats with their new cladding.

READ: Halifax flat towers fail fire safety testsSocial housing facilities at Mixenden Court and Wheatley Court were ruled to be unsafe after investigations following the London disaster that killed 72 people in June last year.

It was decided that a more extensive sprinkler system would have to be implemented and that cladding outside the Mixenden tower blocks was unsafe, work on which has been completed this month.

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READ: Calderdale fire safety officer appointed in response to Grenfell Tower disasterGeorge Paterson, Director of Property Services at Together Housing Group, who administer the facilities, commented: “The safety of tenants has always been our number one priority.

“Following the event we immediately consulted with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and appointed an independent fire safety consultancy to review all our policies and ways of working and completed additional thorough fire safety surveys in all of our high rise blocks.

“As part of this work we identified that the cladding on three high rise blocks in Mixenden required removal. Since last summer we have removed all of the insulation and cladding and are replacing it with a coloured render, to preserve the character of the building, while providing safety and reassurance,” he said.

“We recently announced a £75million investment by Together Housing into housing in Calderdale as part of a partnership with Calderdale Council.

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“The project will see development of new homes, redevelopment of existing properties and the sale of others.

“These include Wheatley Court, which we be sold to a developer as part of a wider plan to boost the Mixenden area, following a decline in uptake of rented homes in the block.

“All tenants in Wheatley Court will be rehoused by Together Housing and this work is underway,” he added.