Major works at a high-rise block of flats in Morecambe are continuing in efforts to improve safety in the wake of the Grenfell disaster.
Scaffolding has gone up on Lakeland House on Marine Road East ahead of what the building's managers say is "essential remediation work relating to long term wear and tear" with "building safety works soon to follow".
Work has been carried out following the fire at the Grenfell tower block in London in 2017, in which 72 people died.
New legislation has been brought in since the Grenfell fire to protect residents of similar high-rise buildings, such as Lakeland House.
At more than 18m tall and with 10 floors, the over 50-year-old seafront building falls into the bracket of 'higher risk' under the Building Safety Act.
David Bentham, from the building's managers Homestead Consultancy Services, said thousands of pounds of work has already been carried out at Lakeland House in recent years, with "many thousands yet to be spent".
"The Lakeland House was self-managed by the owner occupiers until 2016 when the residents recognised that in an industry where legislation was coming at them thick and fast it was the time to outsource their management function and after exhaustive due diligence, Homestead Consultancy Services were appointed as managers," said Mr Bentham.
"At this point a number of pressing issues were investigated and successfully addressed, legal, Health and Safety and a new roof and remedies to long term remediation of a building which has stood on the front at Morecambe in one of the harshest environments in the country for over half a century.
"In 2017 the terrible disaster at Grenfell Towers was a game changer for the whole housing industry. Lakeland House being over 18 metres in height on 10 floors falls into the bracket of Higher Risk Building as prescribed by the Building Safety Act, which legislation was brought into place to protect and safeguard residents of such buildings, post Grenfell."
Lakeland House is pictured below.
Mr Bentham said: "The building has been subject to an exacting and expensive regime dictated by the Building Safety Act to ensure the safety of the residents and this process has been managed by Homestead in collaboration with and on behalf of all the owners at Lakeland House in very close liaison with Lancashire Fire and Rescue.
"The bill has been met by the individual householders during a period of financial uncertainty and spiralling costs. At the same time issues with a building which is over half a century old have had to be addressed.
"The end of the tunnel is in sight. Issues we have successfully addressed include, raising grants, cladding investigation, fire alarms, sprinkler system, wall surveys, Fire Risk Assessments, and fire policies.
"These works have cost many thousands of pounds, in addition to the many thousands of pounds yet to be spent.
"In a strange way this is quite a success story and the owners and Homestead deserve a great deal of credit for their can-do attitude and fortitude, with able professional guidance from Manchester Building Surveyors, Earl Kendrick.
"The householders and flat owners in the buildings have been through the financial mill over recent years because of the fallout from Grenfell.
"The 66 individual homeowners have used their own hard earned reserves and more to ensure that they can still live in their own homes, and ensure safety going forward."
Mr Bentham said the fire service has worked extremely closely with the residents and Homestead, full consultation is being carried out on the cost of repairs "to ensure fairness and transparency when spending communal funds", the residents are "kept updated with progress and all queries/calls are taken and explanations given in detail", Homestead is in contact with owners and occupiers via written communication, email and telephone calls on a frequent basis, and the legal processes which are being followed are "not conducive to fast repair, but have to be followed to comply with the relevant Acts of Parliament".
He said contractors and project managers have been appointed to carry out the latest work.
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