Grenfell cladding found on Edinburgh Napier student halls

External cladding used at the Grenfell Tower block has been discovered on student halls of residence by Edinburgh Napier University.

Bainfield Halls in Edinburgh, located where the old breweries once stood in Fountainbridge, will be repaired after around a quarter of the building was clad in the same substance used at Grenfell Tower in London, which recently caught fire resulting in the deaths of least 79 people.

The cladding is suspected to have contributed to the spread of the fire on the outside of the building.

Edinburgh Napier University said non-combustible insulation materials were installed behind the cladding and other fire prevention measures were in place, but a full safety audit was taking place by fire officers.

A spokesperson for the university said: "Work has already begun to remove and replace the cladding as a precautionary measure, and we are working closely with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to ensure it is safe to continue to use the building as normal. Residents are not being evacuated."

The Scottish Government is reviewing of the safety of high-rise flats in Scotland in the wake of the Grenfell blaze, but announced no local authority or housing association high-rise properties had used the cladding.

After the discovery at the Napier halls, NUS Scotland has called for any review to be extended to include colleges, universities, and all student accommodation – including those owned by private providers.

NUS Scotland President Vonnie Sandlan said: “Students live in a range of accommodation, so any review into building safety absolutely has to take into account all university, college, and private student accommodation buildings.”

“It’s important to remember that today’s discovery at Edinburgh Napier came about through a review instigated by the University itself. Now we need to see every university, college, and private accommodation provider following suit and ensuring that all buildings have been built and maintained to the highest safety standards.”