Camden estate tenants protest amid chemical exposure fears

Roughly 60 council tenants staged a protest last week on the Chalcots estate after the council refused to prove that it had conducted safety tests.

The Swiss Cottage tower blocks are being given new cladding and windows after the estate was found in 2017 to be riddled with fire safety defects.

But residents say the council will not supply evidence proving the works are safe.

Hasan Shah, from Burnham block’s tenant representative association (TRA), said he and others were consulted over an estate regeneration 15 years ago.

At that time, they were told no works could be done on the windows without first testing for harmful chemicals.

Now that works are planned on the windows, he said, he contacted the council to check the tests had been done.

Over the past month he has repeatedly emailed the council asking for evidence of testing, but it has never supplied any.

“Something is not right here,” he said.

“You would have thought that the very best thing they could have done is just given us the proof.

“That would look good for them – being direct to the point and honest. But they have just kept kicking the ball down the road.”

Instead of supplying documents, he said, project leaders offered to meet him for a chat.

“We want it all in writing,” he said. “If they have done all the tests, they should just show us.”

Residents at last week’s protest said they just wanted “peace of mind” that their children would not be exposed to harmful chemicals.

The protest outside the Bray tower block last week attracted roughly 60 people, concerned about the safety of works on their flats (Image: Charles Thomson)

Catch up on our past investigations into the Chalcots estate:

• Chalcots: Camden Council accused of trying to suppress overheating windows report
• Chalcots - Five Years On: Council admits deleting whistleblower emails

When the Ham&High asked Camden why it would not supply the test results, cabinet member Meric Apal said its “independently reviewed and approved health and safety model” included “a full risk assessment” of every home, including “testing for lead and asbestos”.

“Once we have the results from each home, we confirm with the resident that works can commence safely,” he said.

But Mr Shah said many would not trust the council until it published evidence.

“Why are they refusing to show any proof?” he said.

“If proof cannot be shown, then all works should stop immediately.”

The council said its project team was “available to meet with residents regularly... to discuss any aspects of the works or concerns that they may have.”