A 24-hour fire watch has been put in place at two apartment blocks in Newbury following concerns about the safety of materials used in their external walls.
🏢 What’s happened?
- The buildings affected are Chatham House and Carruthers Court at the Newbury Racecourse development. [newburytoday.co.uk]
- Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) identified potential defects in the external wall systems during an inspection. [fia.uk.com]
- Concerns were initially raised at Chatham House, prompting further checks at the neighbouring building. [thefpa.co.uk]
🚶 What is a “fire watch”?
- A “waking watch” means trained personnel patrol the building 24/7, both inside and outside. [fia.uk.com]
- Their role is to spot fire risks early and ensure quick evacuation if needed. [thefpa.co.uk]
- This is a temporary safety measure used while investigations or remedial works are carried out. [thefpa.co.uk]
⚠️ Why was it introduced?
- Early survey findings suggested at least one building might fail fire safety checks. [fia.uk.com]
- The fire service initially considered evacuating (decanting) residents, but the decision was made to keep people in place with added safety measures instead. [fia.uk.com]
- Authorities stress there is no immediate danger, but precautions are necessary while the situation is assessed. [thefpa.co.uk]
🏗️ Who is responsible?
- The buildings were constructed by Barratt Redrow and are owned (freehold) by Newbury Racecourse. [newburytoday.co.uk]
- The freeholder says it is following the Building Safety Act and working to ensure any defects are fixed. [fia.uk.com]
- The developer has indicated that any required remediation work will be carried out without passing costs to leaseholders. [thefpa.co.uk]
🔍 What happens next?
- Further technical investigations and safety reports are ongoing. [newburytoday.co.uk]
- A nearby block, Bregawn House, is also being reviewed as a precaution. [thefpa.co.uk]
- The fire watch will remain in place until the buildings are confirmed safe or repairs are completed. [thefpa.co.uk]
✅ Bottom line:
Residents can remain in their homes for now, but round-the-clock patrols are in place after concerns about wall materials triggered safety checks—part of wider post-Grenfell efforts to identify and fix potential fire risks in residential buildings.
