Kensington And Chelsea (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A Grenfell Tower fire survivor is in ‘utter disbelief’ as a contractor banned by Kensington and Chelsea Council appeals the decision in court.
Emma O’Connor, who escaped in a lift from the 20th floor with her partner, said she was shocked to hear about Siderise Insulation Ltd’s legal battle.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS):
“My first thoughts were: they can’t be serious. We didn’t ask for our lives to be disrupted by this fire. It’s complete and utter disbelief.”
On Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Siderise Insulation Ltd., the company that manufactured some of the cavity barriers used in the 2015–16 renovation, filed a judicial review against Kensington and Chelsea Council, claiming the product restriction was “unwarranted.”
Due to the fire, the council declared in December that it would no longer collaborate with the manufacturing company and five other companies.
The council prohibited Rydon, Arconic, Celotex, and Kingspan from working on its projects in 2021. According to Siderise, the council’s own requirements for the prohibition are not met by its products.
A spokesperson said:
“While Siderise products were used in the Grenfell refurbishment, the Grenfell Inquiry report is clear that neither Siderise nor its products contributed to the tragic fire or its spread, and there is no suggestion that Siderise was not candid before the inquiry, and therefore this exclusion is unwarranted.
The RBKC decision is therefore without foundation or justification. Siderise is acting to protect its reputation as a British manufacturer which supplies its products globally.”
According to a Kensington and Chelsea Council spokesman, the local government is standing by its choice.
Although there was no proof of dishonest behaviour on the part of Siderise, the Grenfell Inquiry’s Phase 2 report stated that certain elements of the company’s marketing materials “gave cause for concern.”
Additionally, it was discovered that Siderise had provided cavity barriers that could be used in voids bigger than the ones for which they had been tested.
The Lamatherm cavity barriers utilized in the renovation were produced by the company.
Siderise claimed that their goods were and are currently suitable for their intended use.
According to them, the critique of Siderise’s marketing literature is not that it included errors, but rather that it was unclear because it omitted important details.
What is the context of the appeal?
Siderise Insulation Ltd. filed a court review against RBKC on February 19, 2025, claiming that the council’s decision to exclude its goods from construction projects was “unwarranted” and without explanation.
Although its materials were utilized in the renovation of Grenfell, the company maintains that they had no role in the fire’s start or spread.
RBKC maintains its stance on its decision to prohibit suppliers and contractors involved in the Grenfell catastrophe.
The goal of the council’s policy is to bar businesses that have demonstrated incapacity or dishonesty from participating in next building projects.
This incident brings to light ongoing concerns about public safety in housing developments, especially with relation to building materials.
The appeal is representative of a larger pattern of legal issues that councils encounter when putting safety measures into place in response to inquiry results. These difficulties could make it more difficult to improve building safety standards.
