About 250 homeless and beleaguered survivors of the devastating Grenfell Tower fire will be rehoused permanently in a £2 billion ($3.5b) luxury Kensington development, it was revealed today.
The 68 one-, two- and three-bedroom properties have been bought for just £10m and will provide refuge for families who lost everything in the blaze that killed 79 people a week ago.
Apartments in the Kensington Row development are on the market for between £1.5million and £8.5 million.
The development has over 500 apartments, of which the government has bought up 68 for those displaced by the fire. Photo / berkleygroup.co.uk
But developer St Edward has sold the 68 flats at "cost" price even though they have a market value of about £160m.
The 250 Grenfell residents - about half of its population - are in hotels or, in extreme cases, believed to be sleeping rough in parks or in their cars.
But from the end of July they will living in the development on Kensington High St lauded as "one of London's most sought-after new addresses".
The apartments have large rooms and balconies offering panoramic views of London. Residents also have access to a swimming pool, sauna, cinema and gym.
The deal is said to have been financed by the City of London Corporation, which immediately handed the flats to Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council, which has been heavily criticised since Britain's worst fire for a generation.
The development in Kensington where 250 Grenfell blaze survivors, around half of the tower's residents, will start a new life at the end of next month. Photo / AP
The 68 flats for the Grenfell survivors were announced just before PM Theresa May apologised for the failures by local and national government in responding to the fire.
The property deal is a rare piece of good news for the families who lost friends and loved ones in last week's blaze.
The City of London Corporation is the local authority responsible for the capital's financial Square Mile and reportedly has £1.32b in the bank.
Grenfell, a 1974 tower block refurbished last year, was engulfed by fire after a fridge exploded in its fourth floor.
Everyone on its top three storeys is believed to have perished including dozens who cowered together in their final moments a single room.
The homes are being prepared for the survivors who are currently being housed in hotels around west London. Photo / Berkleygroup.co.uk
Others died trying to escape or throwing themselves and their children out of windows to escape the deadly heat and smoke.
Since the blaze, anger has continued to mount over Kensington council's "chaotic" handling of the Grenfell disaster amid reports of survivors sleeping rough and being denied cash because of confusing forms.
Nearly a week after the blaze desperate residents were said to still be struggling with accommodation and support.
More than £300,000 of the £5m emergency fund has been handed to families and more than 100 people have been moved into hotels so far, the group said.
However, lawyer Khatija Sacranie, who is offering free advice to those displaced, said some people trying to collect the aid money had been turned away empty handed because they had completed the wrong forms.
The deal to buy the flats is thought to have cost of the government tens of millions of pounds. Pictured: Show flat in brochure. Photo / Berkleygroup.co.uk
And one survivor said he was sent away with just £20 after officials ran out of cash.
The botched response effort was branded as "appalling" with people still "running around like headless chickens" by Kensington's new Labour MP Emma Dent Coad.
"People have to be looked after now. They have to be housed now. There's still total chaos out there.
"I'm absolutely horrified to hear people have been sleeping in cars and in parks because they don't know where to go and they aren't being looked after. Even now - after nearly a week - that's still the case," she said.
Fellow Tottenham MP David Lammy tweeted about reports survivors are being "threatened" with being classed "intentionally homeless" if they refused being rehoused hundreds of miles away, which he branded "absolutely despicable".
A view of an apartment in the Grenfell Tower after fire engulfed the 24-storey building. Photo / AP
The housing development will be ready by the end of next month, and the government is paying for extra work to be done to ensure the flats are completed in time.
Communities secretary Sajid Javid, whose department arranged the move with the Corporation of London, said: "Our priority is to get everyone who has lost their home permanently rehoused locally as soon as possible, so that they can begin to rebuild their lives."
The move came as an independent public advocate to help bereaved families after major disasters was announced in the Queen's Speech.
The post was announced by the monarch along with confirmation that a public inquiry will also be held into the June 14 fire, which prompted a mass outpouring of grief and anger.
Announcing the new roles as she opened the new parliamentary session, the Queen said: "My government will initiate a full public inquiry into the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower, to ascertain the causes and ensure the appropriate lessons are learned.
"To support victims, my government will take forward measures to introduce an independent public advocate, who will act for bereaved families after a public disaster and support them at public inquests."
The Grenfell Fire Response Team said so far about £675,200 has been distributed to affected families via £500 in cash, £5000 in bank transfers and other "discretionary payments" made by Kensington and Chelsea Council.
The remains of Grenfell Tower stand in London. Photo / AP
John Barradell, head of the Grenfell Fire Response Team, paid tribute to the volunteers and community members who stepped in after the blaze, and vowed that more will be done.
He said: "We are doing all we can to co-ordinate and bring in additional support to help local people who have suffered so much, but know we have so much more to do and won't let up on our efforts.
"As well as looking to deliver much more and effective practical and emotional help, we are listening very closely to the community so they can direct help to where it is needed most."
Eleanor Kelly, chief executive of Southwark Council and spokeswoman for the Grenfell Response Team, said: "Rehousing those residents affected by the Grenfell Tower fire as quickly as possible is our main priority, and I am pleased that a significant amount of housing has now been identified."
Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy, who is leading the team of more than 250 criminal investigators working on the disaster, said: "We will continue to do everything we can to find answers to those who are missing loved ones.
"I know that for those who are suffering, those answers cannot come quickly enough."
