Residents urged to immediately leave Edinburgh flats over 'high fire risk'

Residents in a block of flats in Edinburgh have been urged to leave their homes immediately due to concerns over fire risks in the building.

Fire safety investigations at the Bonnington Bond on Breadalbane Street revealed serious issues with the building's cladding and insulation.

It comes more than two years after a previous fire at the same building caused serious damage to a number of properties. Those residents have been unable to return.

Persimmon Homes said remediation works would be carried out, but residents were unable to remain in place while that is completed.

They will instead be relocated to "emergency temporary accommodation" in hotels or serviced apartments.

In an email sent to residents on Monday, Persimmon said it "strongly recommended that all residents temporarily relocate" due to the "high fire risk identified within the building".

They said the decision was the most responsible course of action "while longer-term remediation works are developed and carried out".

BBC Scotland News understands several residents have already left the building following the warning on Monday, while others are considering their options.

The complex, which contains more than 100 flats, was built on the site of a former whisky bond.

A fire in March 2024, which left two firefighters injured, rendered a number of flats uninhabitable, while several others were damaged by smoke.

A City of Edinburgh Council report later found a previous building survey carried out in May 2022 identified a series of issues, including "combustible cladding and insulation, combustible decking and internal fire-stopping issues".

Seven internal lifts were also found to be "non-compliant".

Persimmon put a number of safety measures in place in the aftermath of the fire, including "waking watches" and fire supervisors.

There is currently no timescale for the remediation works to be completed as the "full scope of works has not yet been finalised".

Persimmon said emergency accommodation would be available to all affected parties, but could not guarantee it would be nearby.

Residents have also been warned they will not be able to take items of furniture or large personal items with them to the provided temporary accommodation.

A spokesman for Persimmon said: "Following recent detailed investigations of the building, experts have advised that residents should relocate from their apartments as a precautionary measure.

"Persimmon Homes is offering immediate temporary accommodation to all affected residents."

They added: "Persimmon Homes apologises for the obvious inconvenience and concern this will cause to all residents and will continue to provide on-going support until the situation is resolved."

Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, said residents "wanted to know their homes were safe".

She added: "I am very concerned by the situation at the Bonnington Bond flats, especially when this was the site of a terrible fire only two years ago.

"I will be working closely with Persimmon Homes and the council to understand plans for temporary accommodation and remediation work to address the fire risks."