A memorial to commemorate the 72 lives lost in the Grenfell Tower fire will not be completed until at least 2027, a decade after the fire, according to a new report.
A report, Remembering Grenfell, by the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission says the “earliest point” building on a memorial could start would be late 2026. The government has not yet made any decision on the future of the tower in west London, which is now covered in a protective wrapping.
The report, which is yet to be published but has been seen by the Observer, says: “There are parts of the structure of the tower which could be preserved or repurposed in a way that is safe and which recognisably retains their original form, texture or construction.
“This includes items such as the 14 pillars which support Grenfell Tower and the concrete crown on the roof of Grenfell Tower.”
Bereaved family members and former residents of the tower differed over whether elements of the tower should be incorporated in any future memorial, the report says. Some members of the Grenfell community made it very clear they would not want the memorial to become a tourist destination.
The report said that, based on its consultations with the community, it recommended the memorial should incorporate a garden, contain a dedicated space for the expression of grief and mourning, and should include a monument and/or an artwork. It said arrangements should be put in place to ensure the memorial would be properly looked after for generations.
Terms of reference for the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission were published in September 2018. They said the purpose of the community-led commission was to establish what happens to the Grenfell Tower site in the future and to decide how the site will be owned and sustainably managed for the long term. It is co-chaired by Lord Boateng, the former Labour minister, and Thelma Stober, head of legal services at the Local Government Association. It also has 10 community representatives.
It was reported in September 2021 that ministers were set to announce the demolition of Grenfell Tower, with senior Whitehall sources describing it as a “fait accompli”. Michael Gove, the housing secretary, later apologised for the anonymous briefing, which occurred before he took office. He said any future decision would be taken respectfully and in consultation with those affected.
There is frustration among some of the bereaved families at the pace of the work of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission. They consider a decision needs to be made on the future of the tower, with the necessary inspection work to establish its structural integrity.
Kimia Zabihyan, who represents the Grenfell Next of Kin group, an organisation which supports families of those who died in the fire, said: “There still has not been a decision on the key issues of whether or not the tower remains or not. The issue is not whether you want a fountain or a playground, but what happens to the tower and what parts are safe. We can’t afford any more delays.
“The decision about the tower needs to be made with the government listening to the immediate family members who are first and foremost the reason for the memorial in the first place.”
Hisam Choucair, 46, who lost six members of his family in the fire in June 2017, including his mother and sister, said he would like the tower to remain as a sign of the “failings and the atrocity”. He said: “The fact that there’s no decision is so damaging as it’s holding us up. We are not able to move forward.”
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities and the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission are not commenting until the official publication of the report.
