Council poised to approve £10m tower block sprinklers plan

North Lanarkshire Council will reportedly next week consider whether to fit sprinklers in 48 tower blocks at an estimated cost of around £10,000.

The scheme is under active discussion even although the authority aims to demolish all of its towers over the next two decades.

The move follows a study carried out in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster which showed that many tower blocks were not fitted with potentially life-saving sprinklers.

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Newbuild blocks must have these fitted by law, but there is no such stricture governing older blocks.

However it’s understood that while North Lanarkshire Council considers its fire safety regime is robust it now aims to go the extra distance in a bid to eliminate even a remote risk of a serious fire spreading.

The council’s assistant chief executive, Des Murray, said cutting risk in the authority’s tower blocks is “an absolute priority”.

Meanwhile the council says it has put in place a fire safety regime which includes caretakers being trained as wardens, and regular fire risk assessments.