Dangerous RAAC concrete ‘suspected to be in panels’ at part of Wardle Academy

The ‘WaterSHED’ sports hall building - where suspected RAAC has lead to a closure

Dangerous crumbling concrete is suspected to be present at part of Wardle Academy, leading to a closure in that part of the school.

The government has classed the reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete – RAAC – as an immediate safety risk as it has the potential to suddenly collapse.

The building material - a lightweight, cheaper form of regular concrete – is suspected to be in the wall panel cladding the inside of the WaterSHED building, forming part of the original Sports Hall construction.

As a result, the area has been closed off as a safety precaution and the panels will be tested to confirm the presence of RAAC.

The finding comes after the Watergrove Trust, which runs the school, commissioned a survey to check for the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete at the school.

A statement from the Watergrove Trust said: “The suspected RAAC panels are not load-bearing, are not open to the elements and present as being in excellent condition, giving the structural engineer no cause for concern.

“The Department for Education guidance is that areas are isolated when the presence of RAAC is confirmed. Even though its presence is at this time only suspected, we are isolating this area of Wardle Academy as a precautionary measure with immediate effect.

“As a next step the panels will be tested to confirm the presence of RAAC and if present further surveys will be conducted to double-check the structural engineer’s judgement that the panels present no risk.

“We are working closely with the Department for Education to ensure that the facility is completely safe and will not use this part of the academy until all assurances have been received.”

RAAC was used primarily in roof planks of some public buildings built between the mid-1960s and mid-1990s.