Hundreds fled east London towers after a fatal‑flaw was found in a key concrete slab, leaving them to foot temporary‑housing bills while officials scramble for answers.
On Friday, October 30, emergency notices were sent to occupants of the Thanet Tower and Prince Court in Canning Town, adding to an evacuation that began earlier that week at the North Buildings of the Royal Gateway/Caxton Works development.
The orders stem from a structural assessment that identified a crack in the concrete transfer slab that underpins the five tower blocks, a flaw described as an “imminent risk to life”.
Initial inspections carried out on October 21 confirmed that the slab is both undersized and “significantly overstressed” – conditions that exceed the safety margins normally built into such designs.
The engineering report warned that the risk level is high and the potential consequences are severe, prompting the evacuation of roughly 210 households in the North Buildings at 3 a.m. on Friday, October 23. Firefighters were dispatched as the alarm was raised, and a handful of evacuees were temporarily placed in a nearby council facility, though many remain without a clear return date.
Structural failure triggers mass evacuation
The crumbling slab was discovered during work to compile building-safety cases for the mixed-use scheme, which was completed in 2018 by Galliard Construction, a sister company of Galliard Construction. Engineers concluded that the transfer slab, which distributes load across the towers, is far beyond its intended capacity, making the South Buildings unsafe for occupation as well. Consequently, residents of the South Buildings received evacuation notices on the same Friday, extending the crisis to all five blocks.
Labour MP James Asser, representing West Ham and Beckton, expressed outrage, stating that the situation raises “serious questions about how long this has been a situation” and demanding swift answers for his constituents.
Residents left to shoulder temporary-housing costs
Prime Property Management, the firm responsible for day-to-day operations, sent a notice outlining the immediate financial burden on tenants. The message read: “Given the immediate need to vacate, you will unfortunately have to incur the alternative accommodation costs yourself in the first instance.” It added that the Responsible Tenancy Managers (RTMs) would attempt to recover those expenses from appropriate third parties, but acknowledged that reimbursement would take time.
Guidance from Prime Property Management
The notice advised residents to seek free accommodation with family or friends where possible, and if paid housing is unavoidable, the costs should be “reasonable in nature and amount”—ideally matching the daily rent rate. The communication also warned that staying within the North or South Buildings is not an option.
Compounding the dilemma, the development’s insurer has reportedly declined any claims for temporary-housing expenses, classifying them as a result of a building defect. As a result, many families are paying for hotels or Airbnb stays out of pocket, with several indicating that the financial strain is pushing them toward mental-health challenges.
Community fallout and business closures
The evacuation has rippled through the local economy. Rise Climbing, a bouldering gym located beneath Centurion Tower, was forced to shut its doors after signs reading “Danger” and “Do Not Enter” were affixed to its entrance. Josh Akapo, the centre’s head of marketing, reported that the gym has received no information about compensation and that officials have not visited the site since the evacuation began.
Akapo described the loss as “the saddest thing in the world,” emphasizing that the gym serves as a vital community hub for families and schools. With commercial rents already high, the prolonged closure threatens the viability of the business and deprives locals of a safe recreational space.
Meanwhile, a nursery situated across the road from the condemned slab continues to operate, prompting criticism that children are being allowed to remain in proximity to a declared collapse zone. No official statement has been released regarding the safety of neighbouring structures outside the evacuation perimeter.
Newham Council, through Deputy Mayor John Gray, has set up a rest centre and is providing emergency accommodation, urging residents to contact Prime for additional support. However, a week after the evacuations began, many tenants report inadequate communication, limited information on timelines, and uncertainty over when – or if – they can return to their homes.
The situation highlights a stark clash between urgent safety imperatives and the practical realities of displaced residents, who now face mounting costs, disrupted routines, and the emotional toll of leaving their neighbourhoods behind.
