Rosalind Franklin Halls - Grey and terracotta-coloured metal cladding to be replaced to comply with new fire standards
Portsmouth University students in Rosalind Franklin Hall are concerned about the failure to remove ‘problematic’ cladding from its exterior -- after planned removal work has been put on hold.
The 2002 student accommodation building is no longer in compliance with post-Grenfell building regulations as well as the Fire Safety Act “due to the lack of fire stopping, inconsistent construction quality, and the type of insulation discovered in a review.”
Unite Students, the private property and investment group that runs the hall, and much of Portsmouth University student accommodation, applied for planning permission to remove the cladding in July when the building was found to have a ‘number of failings'.
The council approved this request in August, but the works have not yet begun – students were emailed on 31 August to say that the works were being postponed until the ‘next academic year’ and to reassure students that the building was 'still safe to live in'.
The email sent to students says that the works were ‘just a recommendation’ so there’s no need for them to be completed immediately and that the work would disrupt their studies if it went ahead before summer.
We have reached out to Unite to obtain an update on the progress of the work and will keep you informed.
There are 710 student rooms in Rosalind Franklin Hall which sits at the heart of central Portsmouth, just opposite the New Theatre Royal and Astoria nightclub. Several students have expressed concern about the proposed works.
About Unite Students
Unite Students describes itself as the UK’s largest owner, manager, and developer of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA). It homes 70,000 students across 157 properties in 23 university towns and cities in partnership with over 60 universities.
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