'Danger' concrete found in roof of Wolverhampton Civic Centre
Major repairs are to be carried out to Wolverhampton Civic Centre after it was found to contain 'danger' concrete.
Councillors will tonight be asked to approve £450,000 expenditure for repairs after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found to be present in the roof.
The material, which has led to the closure of public buildings across the country, has been found in the 45-year-old council headquarters.
Wolverhampton Council spokesman Oliver Bhurrut said the 45-year-old building had been surveyed for the material as part of a review of all council assets.
He said the investigation had identified Raac in 'a very small area' of the Civic Centre roof, which he said remained in good structural condition.
"There is no immediate risk, and we are in the process of designing a works programme for the Raac to be removed when the council chamber is not being used during the summer," he said.
The work would fall well within the 12-month period laid out in Government guidance.
The Civic Centre underwent a major refurbishment seven years ago, but Mr Bhurrut said this did not include any works to the roof.
Raac, or sometimes known as 'aero concrete' due to its bubbled texture, became popular in the 1950s as a cost-effective building material, but stopped being used in the 1990s.
Last year the Government ordered 100 schools, nurseries and colleges to close classrooms amid concerns the material is prone to collapse.
The Civic Centre was completed in 1978, replacing the old town hall on the opposite side of North Street.
It was officially opened by Prime Minister Jim Callaghan in February, 1979.
It received a Civic Trust Award in 1979.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.