THE lead counsel at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Richard Millet KC, said this in his closing speech: “There was nothing unknown or not reasonably knowable which caused or contributed to the fire or its consequences. 

“On the contrary, each and every one of the risks that eventuated at Grenfell Tower on that night were well known by many and ought to have been known by all who had any part to play.

“As a result, you will be able to conclude with confidence that each and every one of the deaths that occurred in Grenfell Tower on June 14 2017 was avoidable.”

As we approach the sixth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire on June 14, we think about what has changed in the world to prevent another avoidable atrocity and unimaginable loss of life.

It has taken six years for the government to agree to hold a debate in parliamentary time on the numerous issues involved, but this year we’re told it will take place, and to that end I have coordinated a wide-ranging briefing for MPs and the press from 14 organisations and campaign groups.

I do this every year in the hope that it will help MPs to consider issues like rising insurance premiums on buildings whose safety is under investigation, cancers among firefighters, mental health related to trauma in North Kensington, supply chain issues, updates from RICS and commentary from the RIBA Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety.

We need more expertise in Parliament on these issues, but in the meantime I hope this will broaden the debate.

As for the heavily scrutinised and still failing Kensington and Chelsea Council — under investigation by the police for corporate manslaughter — what are they doing to ensure the “exemplar council” they hope to become is attracting “good development”?

There are two sites coming forward for major development in coming years – the former Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre site, and Kensal Gasworks at the northern end of Ladbroke Grove.

The gasworks is coming up first. There are two developers for this site, Berkeley Group aka St William, and Sainsbury’s working alongside Ballymore. 

The prospect of Ballymore developing anything at all in the borough makes many residents’ blood run cold – Ballymore was the developer of New Providence Wharf, which had a terrible and very frightening fire in May 2021.