Architect Studio E was “imprudent” not to have appointed a specialist fire consultant when it took on the Grenfell Tower refurbishment project, the inquiry into 2017’s fire that claimed 72 lives was told.

Expert witness Paul Hyett said given Studio E’s lack of experience in high-rise residential overcladding “it would have been important for them to get a fire consultant and to use that fire consultant properly”.

Hyett, a former RIBA president who retired in June after 16 years as a principal at HKS Architects to set up his own consultancy, began what is expected to be three days of evidence to the inquiry on Monday afternoon.

…