A fire-safety remediation plan for a Poplar tower block was approved just one day before a fatal blaze tore through it last weekend — after spending 31 weeks awaiting a decision from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), it has been revealed.
The fatal Neutron Tower fire broke out on Saturday at the 22-storey residential block on Blackwall Way, Poplar, killing a man. The BSR had approved the building control application for remediation work the previous day, Friday 11 September, well beyond the eight-week statutory timeframe for deciding such applications unless an extension is agreed.
The regulator confirmed to Construction News that it received the application in February 2026, but it was only approved on 11 September 2026. “We can confirm that remediation proposals relating to the building have been considered by the BSR through the higher-risk building gateway process,” it said. “This was a complex case requiring multiple information requests and ongoing engagement with the applicant to ensure compliance with building regulations was fully demonstrated.”
Neutron Tower fire: what happened
According to London Fire Brigade, firefighters rescued two adults and a child from the burning block, while 50 residents managed to leave before crews arrived. A man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The brigade’s Fire Investigation Team is examining a range of factors to establish the cause. The BSR said it was working with fire investigators, but declined to comment further while investigations are ongoing. “The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated by relevant authorities, and it would not be appropriate to comment further while those investigations are ongoing,” the regulator said, adding: “The BSR will support and work with all relevant authorities and will continue to act in accordance with and be guided by those investigations.”
Cladding remediation years in the making
Neutron Tower forms part of Barratt Homes’ 437-home Elektron development, according to original planning documents lodged with Tower Hamlets council in 2005. Barratt became Barratt Redrow in October 2024 following its £2.5 billion acquisition of Redrow.
Work to fix the building’s fire safety has been grinding on for years. In Barratt’s prospectus dated 31 December 2023, the company said it had already provided for a fire test and identified remediation at Elektron, estimating a potential cladding-remediation liability of up to £90 million.
In 2025, Barratt Redrow applied to Tower Hamlets for a certificate of lawfulness to replace “potentially combustible materials with an appropriate alternative non-combustible materials”. The council granted the certificate on 29 September 2025, with an officer’s report setting out plans to remove combustible rainscreen cladding and Hemsec infill panels, install new cavity barriers and non-combustible infill panels, and reinstate rainscreen cladding.
A spokesperson for Barratt Redrow said: “We have been working as quickly as possible to progress the remediation at Elektron. This is a particularly complex development with a unique facade system, which initially required extensive specialist testing and investigation, and then the design, fabrication and testing of a bespoke remediation solution. That solution has also required approval from the BSR. We remain committed to delivering the necessary remediation works as quickly and safely as possible.”
Broader delays across the country
The 31-week wait at Neutron Tower is far from unique. In July, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority warned that inflation and delays in BSR processes had constrained cladding remediation across England. As of March, close to 2,000 remediation projects had not yet begun work on site.
Tower Hamlets said it was “deeply saddened” by the incident and that the building was closed to residents. FirstPort, which manages the property, told Construction News: “We are deeply saddened by the death of a man at Neutron Tower, and our thoughts are with his family and everyone affected by this incident. The circumstances surrounding the fire are currently subject to active investigations. It would not be appropriate for us to speculate on, nor comment on, specific matters that may form part of those investigations. Our immediate priority remains the safety of residents. All residents have been contacted and our teams have been providing direct support since the incident, including arranging temporary accommodation where required.”
The LFB investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing. This is a developing story.
Reporting based on Construction News.
