Industry News


New rough sleepers in the capital jumps 50 per cent in a year


from the Greater London Authority. Some 3,985 individuals were recorded as sleeping


T


rough in the capital in the second quarter of 2018/19. Of this total, just over half (2,069) were sleeping rough for the first time, representing a 50 per cent increase on the same period in 2017/18. The total number of people sleeping rough rose by 28 per cent over the same period. The number of people living on the streets in


London was 438 in the second quarter of 2018/19, an increase of 29 per cent on the figure of 340 in 2017/18. The majority of the rough sleepers recorded were


non-UK nationals at 52 per cent, while women accounted for 18 per cent of the total. The figures are based on the GLA-commissioned


Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) database, which is managed by the homelessness charity St Mungo’s. Howard Sinclair, chief executive of St Mungo’s,


said: “There is a rough sleeping crisis on our streets – not just in London, but across the country. This is a national scandal. Around half are non-UK nationals and are unlikely to have access to benefits,


housing or healthcare so are left desperate and destitute. “We also know more people are dying whilst homeless and that council funding cuts and welfare


reform have reduced the help available for people in this desperate situation. This is down to the failure of successive governments to tackle the systemic causes of homelessness.”


he number of people recorded as sleeping rough in London for the first time has risen sharply by 50 per cent, according to figures


Specialist HA installs sprinklers in its tall buildings


One of the country’s largest providers of retirement and extra care housing has installed water sprinklers in all six of its residential buildings over six storeys high. Housing 21 owns and manages around 21,000


properties in 150 local authority areas. It said it acted after putting fire safety at the top of its agenda. The water sprinkler installations were done as part of a programme of works to help contain fires and to stop them spreading.


The group said it will be reviewing its fire alarm


“zoning” within buildings and carrying out the most intrusive Type 4 fire risk assessment surveys during the course of the current year. None of the six buildings fitted with sprinklers


had cladding which was identified as being “at risk”, according to the association. Housing 21 said in its annual report that it had spent £9.9m on property improvements during 2018/19. As part of a new strategic plan, Housing 21 is


The water sprinkler


installations were done as part of a programme of works to help contain fires and to stop them spreading


aiming to build 2,100 extra care homes and 210 new retirement homes by March 2022. The Government is consulting on a recommendation that sprinklers be made compulsory in all new residential buildings of 18 metres or taller, down from the current requirement of 30 metres or higher.


Rydon secures £100m redevelopment of West London estate


Ealing Council has awarded a £100m estate regeneration project to Rydon, the contractor who were the lead company on the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. The contract will see the demolition of the 264-


home High Lane estate, in Hanwell, and its replacement with a mixed tenure development of 450 new homes. The estate is due to be redeveloped


in three phases between 2021 and 2027. A spokesman for Ealing Council said Rydon was


selected as a partner for the project in April 2017 after a three-stage competitive procurement process. It then signed a principal development agreement with Rydon in October 2019. They stressed that the plans for High Lane will meet all current fire safety standards and there can


be no comparison made with the construction methods or materials at Grenfell Tower. Residents have been fully informed throughout the process that Rydon is the developer on the project. However, the spokesman added that the


agreement “grants us the right to step in if for any reason Rydon cannot fulfil their contractual obligations on the project”.


www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM December/January 2020 | 19


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