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Professor John Robertson OBA

The Sunday Mail‘s front page is a classic of melodramatic misrepresentation of the facts, based with little apparent sense of irony, upon a 1968 explosion in London and pointing to risk in large panel systems.

What are these LPS concrete panels the Sunday Mail would have us panic over?

From Grok AI (Powerfully helpful as long as you ask the right questions and can check the answers make sense):

Large Panel System (LPS) failures in the UK have been a concern primarily due to structural weaknesses highlighted by historical incidents and ongoing safety issues. The most notable LPS failure was the partial collapse of Ronan Point in east London on May 16, 1968. A gas explosion on the 18th floor dislodged load-bearing flank wall panels, causing a progressive collapse of one corner of the 22-storey tower block, killing four people and injuring 17. This incident exposed the vulnerabilities of LPS construction, where precast concrete panels are stacked without a supporting structural frame, relying on their own weight for stability. A subsequent public inquiry revealed that the critical H2 joint in Ronan Point failed at just 1.8 pounds per square inch of pressure, leading to a nationwide halt of gas supplies in LPS blocks and a reassessment of their safety.

Why none in Scotland:

Lower Prevalence of LPS Construction: Scotland’s post-war housing boom relied heavily on tenement-style flats and other construction methods, with LPS buildings being less common compared to England, particularly in London and southern regions. Cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh favored traditional masonry or smaller-scale precast systems, reducing the overall number of high-risk LPS tower blocks. For example, Glasgow’s high-rise developments, such as the Red Road flats (now demolished), were often constructed using different systems or heavily reinforced designs.

Robust Local Oversight: Scotland’s building control system, managed by local authorities, has historically been rigorous. Post-Ronan Point, Scottish councils conducted thorough surveys of LPS buildings, and many were either strengthened or taken out of service. The Scottish Building Standards, updated regularly, also emphasize structural integrity and fire safety, potentially catching issues early. For instance, the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 introduced stricter safety regulations, which may have helped prevent incidents in aging LPS blocks.

Evidence for the above?

Comparative Rigour: A 2019 study by Heriot-Watt University on UK building control systems (published in the Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal & Valuation) highlights Scotland’s system as distinct for its centralized guidance and mandatory local authority oversight, contrasting with England’s more varied approach pre-Building Safety Act 2022. The study notes that Scotland’s requirement for building warrants before construction adds an extra layer of scrutiny, which likely ensured early identification of LPS vulnerabilities.

Grenfell?

There are no lives at risk from a Grenfell-like towering inferno in Scotland due to cavity fire barriers and higher building standards but tell that to the Herald