IN Brief:
- Around 211 households were evacuated from the first three buildings in October; two neighbouring blocks subsequently emptied.
- Newham issued dangerous structure notices for Centurion Tower, Sovereign Tower, and St Vincent Court.
- Further structural assessment, monitoring, immediate safety measures, and independent review are required.
Newham Council has confirmed dangerous structure notices for three residential buildings at the Royal Gateway development in Canning Town, east London, as investigations continue into concerns involving concrete transfer slabs. Residents of five buildings have now been told to leave, following the evacuation of Centurion Tower, Sovereign Tower, and St Vincent Court in October and subsequent concerns affecting Thanet Tower and Prince Court.
Around 211 households were evacuated from the first three blocks during the night of 22–23 October. The council said in a 30 October update that residents of two further buildings had been advised to leave after additional structural safety concerns. Its public information published on 2 November confirms that dangerous structure notices have been served for Centurion Tower, Sovereign Tower, and St Vincent Court; it does not identify equivalent notices for the two later evacuations.
Newham served the notices on 29 October under the London Building Acts (Amendment) Act 1939, requiring immediate temporary works and risk mitigation, followed by structural monitoring, a comprehensive appraisal, and materials investigations. The owners must prepare a structural safety report and obtain an independent external peer review. The statutory notices direct the building owners to undertake the required investigations and protective works while the council monitors compliance. Access restrictions remain in place while the condition of the buildings is examined and engineers develop the required protective and remedial measures.
Concerns reported at the development centre on concrete transfer slabs, which are structural elements used to carry loads from an arrangement of columns or walls above to a different supporting arrangement below. Their role makes the load path through the structure important to the assessment. Where the performance of such an element is questioned, engineers need to understand both the physical condition of the component and the assumptions made about how it transfers forces to the supporting structure.
The structural investigations must establish the condition of the transfer slabs and the supporting load paths before permanent repairs can be designed. Monitoring can reveal changes in the affected structural elements over time, while materials testing and appraisal provide evidence for decisions about temporary support and long-term remediation. An independent peer review will examine the engineering findings and the proposed response.
The development, also known as Caxton Works, was delivered by a joint venture involving Galliard Homes and Cathedral Group. Prime Property Management has been working with the council and other parties on communication and assistance for residents. The council says its officers are continuing to support affected households, including people who need emergency accommodation or other assistance while access to the buildings remains restricted.
The council’s earlier statement said the first evacuations followed information supplied to London Fire Brigade about serious structural problems. Additional assessment subsequently identified concerns beneath Thanet Tower and Prince Court, prompting residents of those buildings to leave on 30 October. The response has therefore expanded from three buildings to five as engineers have examined more of the development’s structure.
Engineers preparing the remedial programme will need to locate the elements requiring further examination, establish safe access for investigations, and assess how temporary protection interacts with the existing building. Any temporary support will need to be designed for the identified load paths and the conditions on site. The findings of the investigation and independent review will inform decisions about permanent repairs and when residents might be able to return.
Residents of the five buildings remain unable to return while assessment and safety measures continue. Newham says its officers are supporting households needing emergency accommodation and other help, while Prime Property Management is handling insurance and reimbursement enquiries. Continued restrictions on access also affect the practical arrangements for residents, building management, and any future works in occupied parts of the development.
Newham’s dangerous structures enforcement is focused on immediate safety measures and engineering evidence. Questions about contractual responsibility for permanent repairs will depend on the investigations and the parties involved in the development and its subsequent management. The notices require action while those longer-term matters remain to be determined.
Newham’s latest update continues to warn residents against returning until further notice. The next substantive developments will be the findings of the structural appraisal, the independent review, and the identification of remedial works. Until those are available, the buildings remain subject to restrictions arising from the identified safety concerns rather than a published timetable for reoccupation.
