A Southampton apartment block has been evacuated following the discovery of concrete prone to collapse.
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, known as RAAC, has been found at Alyne House on Northlands Road, forcing the landlord to move residents out.
Residents were informed in the second week of December last year.
The Echo understands that only a few people are still living in the block.
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Home to 35 apartments, the building’s landlord – Dorrington – said they consulted experts before helping the inhabitants of Alyne House to find alternative accommodation.
A Dorrington spokesman said: “As a responsible landlord, we have taken expert advice and found no alternative to moving residents out of the building.
“We regret the upheaval this causes and are working with our managing agents to give residents all the support they need to find alternative accommodation.
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“Many residents have already moved out and we would like to thank them all for their calm response to a difficult situation.”
RAAC was used in British buildings from the 1950s to the mid-1990s as it was cheaper than traditional concrete and quicker and easier to install.
However, it is prone to collapse when wet and only has a life expectancy of 30 years.
He told the Echo: “I am pleased to hear that the landlord responsible has responded in a speedy way.
"We visit Alyne House on a regular basis as part of our canvass schedule but on our last visit and since, no one living there has contacted us about this issue.
“We are concerned that residents are having to deal with this disruption due to the condition of this privately run block and if residents of Alyne House ask for our support on this or any other issues, they are welcome to contact any of their three ward councillors.”
Hounsdown School in Totton was among public buildings identified to have RAAC when news broke about the collapse risk last year.
The news about Alyne House also comes after The Telegraph reported that a block of flats in Southampton had been found with cracked RAAC planks in September 2023.
The location of the flats was not disclosed at the time and it is not clear if Alyne House is the same block reported on by The Telegraph.
A spokesperson for Southampton City Council has also shared some advice.
They said: “Southampton residents can find housing information on our website Housing (southampton.gov.uk) or contact us directly with any queries.”
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