Call for moratorium

A major new report has called for a moratorium on the construction of new tower blocks until their safety can be assured following the Grenfell tragedy. The Housing & Finance Institute (HFI) also wants a review into the future of existing high rise blocks, which would consider the feasibility of these buildings being made safe or whether they should simply be demolished. More than 75 tower blocks have already been identified as being ‘at risk’ by the authorities. The HFI has set out a three-pronged strategy for ensuring such a disaster does not happen again. Most significantly, the Institute says no new tower block construction should be allowed to start until their safety is absolutely guaranteed.