As news reached residents of Torry that a huge swathe of Balnagask is likely to be demolished due to Raac, one sentiment keeps recurring: “Surely people must have known about this before now.”
We looked into Raac-related reports and headlines to try and find out an answer to that question.
Here’s what we discovered:
Timeline of Raac awareness
1990-1999
In 1993 the parliamentary under-secretary of state for the environment, Tony Baldry says “Siporex houses” in Basildon Essex are “coming to the end of their useful life.” Constructed from 1964 onwards, just a year after construction, cracks began to appear in the Raac panels, made under the brand name Siporex. Remember that name.
In December 1996 the Building Research Establishment (BRE) released a paper. While it didn’t present Raac as being a matter for urgent action it did highlight that deflection and cracking had been identified in Raac roof planks designed before 1980.
Raac homes condemned 20 years ago
2000-2009
In 2004, in the South Deans, Livingston, West Lothian, Siporex rears its head again. After being found in the roofs of properties, all those containing the branded Raac were condemned. Homeowners fought for 20 years to get a like-for-like property after being repeatedly offered low valuations for compulsory purchases of their homes. The first to receive their keys did so in May this year after a two-decade battle.
In 2009 following the “failure” of a school roof containing Raac a Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS) report was issued. As a result, the Institution of Structural Engineers (ISE) assembled a study panel, chaired by Martin Liddell. Confirming this in the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee meeting in October 2023 he said a decade of research had taken place from 2009-2019, specifically into two Raac-containing hospitals.
Schools warned about Raac dangers
2010-2019
In May 2019 SCOSS issues another report stating that in late 2018, the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Department for Education (DfE) contacted all school building owners drawing attention to a recent failure of a flat roof built using Raac planks. In the incident mentioned, there was little warning of the sudden collapse.
Material is ‘liable to collapse’
2020-2024
In November 2022 the Local Government Association announced that two months earlier, the Office of Government Property sent a safety briefing notice to all property leaders, regarding the dangers of Raac. It stated that “Raac is now life-expired and liable to collapse”.
In October 2023 The Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee met. Martin Liddell, chair of the Raac study group for the Institution of Structural Engineers confirmed knowledge of the issues concerning Raac since 2009. Professor Chris Goodier of Loughborough University claimed the alleged 30-year lifespan of Raac is a “bit of an urban myth”. Peter Drummond from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) raises the plight of homeowners and calls for something to be done to help because “these people are now in a disaster that was not in the slightest of their own making.”
In November 2023 Aberdeen City Council let tenants and homeowners know that Raac could be in their homes. In report no: 157606 entitled Raac inspections Balnagask Mono-pitches, original architectural drawings of the hen houses and flats in the Balnagask area are included. Written on the drawings is that word from earlier in our timeline: Siporex.
In February 2024 Aberdeen City Council informs residents of more than 500 houses that their homes were likely to have Raac, and based on surveys conducted it was critical for residents to be moved out.
From March this year all council tenants pack up their houses and await rehoming options. Until now, 151 new rental agreements have been agreed.
This week: Demolition and rebuild recommended for Raac homes in Balnagask, Aberdeen
Wednesday morning, August 14: a letter is hand-delivered to all homeowners. No new information was offered, just a reminder of all the possible viable options. Details on how to view a meeting on August 21 when officials will vote on the recommended option, were included.
Wednesday 11pm: a council report goes live. It states the preferred option will be the demolition and rebuild of all the Raac houses in Balnagask, Aberdeen. It’s suggested that council tenants will have the option to move back after the 5-15 year process. Homeowners are told their houses will also be demolished. Current (not pre-Raac crisis) market value will be offered.
Thursday, August 15: the Torry community comes to terms with the potential of 500+ homes being demolished.
August 21: Next week, councillors will meet to decide on the recommendations.
Conversation