The Welsh Government has given over £4m to Newport City Homes so the social landlord can continue to make fire safety improvements at high-rise blocks in the city.
The grant is part of a £40m package the government announced to make residents across Wales feel “safe and secure in their homes”.
Tenants in four blocks of flats in Newport that are over 11 metres tall will get new doors and frames that meet the latest fire safety standards.
Henry Simms, head of compliance and building safety at Newport City Homes, said: “Thanks to this money from the government we can continue to make our homes safer to live in.
"The project will see new fire doors being constructed and fitted to the latest safety standards. The work will include new doors and frames throughout the buildings including the flat entrances and communal areas.
“When we go out for tender, we aim to use local businesses where possible and make sure our contractors bring extra social and community value to the city.
“Extensive work, also funded by the Welsh Government, is about to be finished at Greenwood in St Julians, Hillview in the Gaer and Milton Court in Ringland. We have carried out work in the walls, floors and ceilings around features like pipework and wiring to create ‘compartments’.
“Everything we have done and continue to do is about making sure that in the unlikely event of a fire it is contained to one small area within the building and can’t spread.”
Other work in those three blocks included:
- Installing red strobe lights and alarms on every balcony so firefighters can see where an alarm is going off.
- Updating the sprinkler systems.
- Removing the refuse chutes and fitting new communal bin areas with automated doors, and fire-resistant recycling areas outside the blocks.
- Fitting a new system that means the fire service can alert tenants on specific floors to leave the building.
Climate Change Minister Julie James said: “Our ambitious programme will ensure residents can feel safe and secure in their homes.”
The grant is part of Welsh Government’s cooperation agreement with Plaid Cymru.