New students to live outside Wolverhampton

Students who had been scheduled to take up a place at the halls of residence called blocks B and C have been forced to take up alternatives.

The blocks, which are based just off the A4124 Wednesfield Road on Culwell Street and run by company Liberty Heights, were evacuated in July following the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Around 70 students were removed from the blocks after it was discovered that a type of aluminium composite material, which could be flammable, had been used in the construction of the buildings.

Then, earlier this month, students were evacuated after a chip pan fire broke out on the 14th floor of the taller 'A' tower block situated alongside blocks B and C.

Sprinklers were activated in the fire, preventing the fire from spreading in the 25-storey block, which does not have the same cladding as the evacuated blocks it sits alongside.

Students were not let back in part of the building that was affected and have since been rehoused while repairs are carried out.

Liberty Heights is looking to remove the problematic cladding on blocks B and C. It is understood that around 20 per cent of the eight-storey and 10-storey blocks are clad with the material.

Speaking of the measures to evacuate students and find them alternative accommodation, Councillor Greg Brackenridge, Labour councillor for Wednesfield South is a former firefighter and on the board of the West Midlands Fire Authority, said: "Safety has to be the primary concern.

"I have a son who is in his second year of university and if it was a choice between having a bit of inconvenience by travelling in from further afield or him being in a building where there were issues, I know which one I'd prefer.

"I think we have to continue to review what materials we build with - we simply cannot keep building buildings in materials that are likely to burn.

"In the case of the fire at this block, thankfully the sprinklers worked and doused the fire before the firefighters arrived which shows how useful they can be. Anything that improves safety must be considered."

A spokesman for Liberty Heights said: "Less than 30 students were unable to take up places with us. All were notified in July and were offered alternative accommodation adjacent to Wolverhampton University."