The decision to deconstruct Grenfell Tower, eight years after the tragic fire that claimed 72 lives, has sparked controversy. While the government aims to replace the tower with a permanent memorial, campaigners criticize the move as 'disgraceful and unforgivable'.
Grenfell Tower is set to be demolished eight years after the tragic fire that claimed the lives of 72 people. This decision, announced by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, has sparked dismay among campaigners who condemn it as 'disgraceful and unforgivable'. Grenfell United, representing those affected by the June 2017 disaster, criticizes Ms. Rayner for 'ignoring the voices of the bereaved on the future of our loved one’s gravesite'.
The tower block is anticipated to be replaced with a permanent memorial, a plan that has been in development for several years.The government had previously pledged not to commence work on the site before the eight-year anniversary of the fire in June. The Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission has proposed transforming the site into a 'sacred space', a 'peaceful place for remembering and reflecting'. A team of experts, community representatives, and lawyers is currently searching for a specialist team to design the memorial. While a definitive design remains unchosen, the commission outlined various community suggestions for permanent commemorations in 2022. These included preserving the tower as a 'vertical garden' with a high-level platform and hanging plants, converting it into a park or garden space, or constructing a museum to commemorate the tragedy. A memorial garden for the community has already been unveiled in the shadow of the charred tower block, situated in the garden at St Clement's Church.Other suggestions for replacing the tower block have ranged from a museum to a brand new structure reaching the same height as Grenfell. The disaster ignited a national scandal regarding building safety and material standards. It emerged that the building was clad in combustible material, allowing the fire to rapidly spread through the 24-storey block in North Kensington. Michael Gove, Ms. Rayner's predecessor, abandoned his plans to demolish the tower block following an outcry from campaigners who raised safety concerns about the structure. Now, a formal announcement by the government is expected on Friday confirming the tower's deconstruction. A Government spokesperson stated: 'The priority for the Deputy Prime Minister is to meet with and write to the bereaved, survivors and the immediate community to let them know her decision on the future of the Grenfell Tower. 'This is a deeply personal matter for all those affected, and the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to keeping their voice at the heart of this'
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