Reader TTS

THE BLOCK OF FLATS WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN 2017, LEADING TO THE DEATHS OF 72 PEOPLE HOWARD LLOYD Regional content editor 17:18, 20 May 2025 Demolition of Grenfell Tower could begin in

September, the Government has said. The update on timing comes less than a month before the eighth anniversary of the west London tower block fire, which claimed 72 lives. It had been

announced in February that the tower will be brought down to ground level in a process likely to take two years. On Tuesday, the Government said work to prepare the site is expected to start

in August, with September as the earliest date for work to “carefully take down” the building to begin. The update, from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government noted that

the work – which will happen behind the wrapping currently in place around the building – is subject to all “necessary approvals” being in place. News of the Government’s decision earlier

this year that the tower would be brought down was met with criticism from some bereaved and survivors of the 2017 fire who expressed their upset and shock, saying they felt they had not had

their views considered before the decision was taken. Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner later said in an interview that she knew the meeting with those most closely

affected was going to be “really difficult” and that there was “not a consensus” among everyone over what should happen to the tower. Article continues below Views have varied, with her

department acknowledging there had been hopes for some of it to remain in place as a lasting memorial to what happened while others had reported this would be “too painful”. The Government

confirmed in February that engineering advice is that the tower “is significantly damaged” and will get worse with time. Separately, the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission has been

consulting on plans for a permanent memorial in the area of the tower, with recommendations including a “sacred space”, designed to be a “peaceful place for remembering and reflecting”. It

is expected a planning application for a memorial could be submitted in late 2026. The Government said it will also share further information about plans for a second site where materials

from the tower “which are not used in the memorial, or conserved, will be safely and respectfully laid to rest”.