Veteran east London MP Margaret Hodge has called on the housing secretary to intervene after repair work stopped on a fire-hit block of flats designed by Sheppard Robson.

The six-storey apartment block featured combustible wooden balconies that played a significant role in the spread of fire at Samuel Garside House at Barking Riverside, last June.

Contractors working for developer Bellway Homes had been replacing the balcony structures with new non-combustible alternatives but were stood down last week because of the coronavirus crisis, which could shut down the construction industry for the next six months.

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