Grenfell Tower demolition plan revealed as parts to be kept for memorial to 72 victims of fire disaster

Grenfell Tower will be taken down in works lasting around two years, the Government has announced.

Parts of the building, scene of one of Britain’s worst tragedies, will be kept for inclusion in a memorial if that is the wishes of the local community.

In a long-awaited statement, the Government said on Friday: “The Tower was the home of the 72 innocent people who lost their lives, and of survivors whose lives were forever changed.

“It is clear from conversations it remains a sacred site. It is also clear that there is not a consensus about what should happen to it.

“For some, Grenfell Tower is a symbol of all that they lost. The presence of the Tower helps to ensure the tragedy is never forgotten and can act as a reminder of the need for justice and accountability. Being able to see the Tower every day helps some people continue to feel close to those they lost.

“For others it is a painful reminder of what happened and is having a daily impact on some members of the community.”

One option was to take down some floors of the building in north Kensington in west London but not others.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner rejected this proposal as it “would not be fair to keep some floors of the building that are significant to some families, whilst not being able to do so for others and knowing that, for some, this would be deeply upsetting”.

The whole building will be taken down over two years (Getty Images)

So the plan is to take down the whole building.

“It will likely take around two years to sensitively take down the Tower through a process of careful and sensitive progressive deconstruction that happens behind the wrapping, the statement added.

“We continue to support the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission as the community choose a design team to work with them on designing a memorial.

“The Deputy Prime Minister will ensure that materials from the site, communal areas of the Tower, or parts of the Tower can be carefully removed and returned for inclusion as part of the memorial, if the community wishes.”

Ms Rayner wanted to make sure the bereaved families and survivors were first to hear the Government’s decision on what to do with the Grenfell tower block, Downing Street has said.

Asked about reports of a lack of consultation and a lack of support from the community, No10 said Ms Rayner offered bereaved family members and survivors “the opportunity to meet in person and online at different times and places”, and has “heard many views” through the process.

But Ms Rayner, who is also Housing Secretary, is understood to have been met with gasps from shocked families, when they were told, who felt there had not been enough consultation about pulling down the building.

Grenfell United, which represents some bereaved and survivors, said it appeared from the meeting room that "no-one supported" the Government's decision.

They added: "Ignoring the voices of bereaved on the future of our loved ones' grave site is disgraceful and unforgivable".

A spokesperson for Grenfell Next Of Kin, a separate group representing some bereaved families, said that while the decision was "obviously a very sensitive and difficult" one, families "understand the hard facts around safety".

Speaking to the Standard, one survivor vowed to chain herself up outside the building if the Government presses ahead with the plans.

Emma O’Connor, who lived on the 20th floor and managed to escape, said survivors and victims’ families “will become invisible again” in their fight for justice if the tower is demolished.

The Government has previously said there will be no changes to the west London site before the eighth anniversary of the disaster in June.