Bristol’s Barton House tower block residents, who had to evacuate their homes almost two months ago, should be able to return next month, according to Bristol City Council. The council removed over 250 residents from the building in November 2021 because of concerns over the concrete’s safety. The work on the building’s safety commenced on 24 January and is expected to finish by 23 February. After that, the residents will be able to return to their homes.
In a meeting held earlier, the council was presented with a petition signed by 42 residents stating that they would not feel safe returning to their flats. The council provided more details about its initial concerns and explained that structural ties connecting the floors with the walls were potentially missing. Furthermore, the concrete cover protecting the building’s metal reinforcement was potentially too thin. The council has since identified that the structural ties are in place in good order and that the thickness of the concrete cover is generally good throughout the building.
Other work, including checking the water system for legionella bacteria and adding additional fireproofing to 42 flats, has been carried out. A central alarm system was also installed in the building. Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said the council “continues to move at pace to make the block safe.” Rees mentioned that Barton House is safer than initially thought; however, it is not yet safe enough for residents to return.
A December report found that only some parts of the building displayed issues, but “essential work” had to be carried out before residents could return. While 21 of the building’s 98 flats are currently occupied, over half of the residents are still living in hotels, and others are staying with friends and family
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