FLAMMABLE cladding panels at a Leederville youth housing service are set to be replaced almost a year after they were discovered.
Foundation Housing, which leases the Foyer Oxford from the Department of Communities, confirmed in July last year the dangerous panels were in the Oxford Street building that can house almost 100 people.
The panels were similar to those that played a role in fuelling the blaze that ripped through Grenfell Tower in London in June 2017, killing 71 people.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWFoundation Housing chief executive Kathleen Gregory said the process to replace the cladding would begin “within four weeks”.
The news comes just weeks after the State Government revealed a risk assessment audit of 453 buildings across the state found 247 buildings required more detailed assessment and 206 were cleared.
Ms Gregory said it would take up to 18 months to take out the dangerous cladding and replace them with safer panels.
“The program will be undertaken in a stages to ensure the Foyer model is able to continue as normal with minimal disruption to the residential and commercial tenants of the building,” she said.
Ms Gregory said the safety of the young people housed there has “always been our primary concern”.
Extra CCTV and thermal sensors were installed in the interim as well as a 24-hour concierge.
“We are pleased that the panels on the building will now be replaced,” she said.
Of the 419 buildings in the CBD inspected, 55 required detailed risk assessment.
Eleven out of the 150 buildings in the City of Vincent inspected required detailed risk assessment.
MORE: Company fined $160,000 over WA deaths
