A GROUP of residents has been left terrified that a planned EV charging hub could turn their newbuild blocks into a “volcano”.
Locals of Edgware, North London, have called on their council to scrap the £1.7 billion project over concerns about a so-called “thermal runway” under the flats in the development.
The plans include the building of an electric bus garage underneath the blocks, which will contain thousands of homes, but critics say battery fires could turn them into “Grenfell on steroids”.
The 25 towers are part of a proposed joint venture between Labour-run Barnet Council and Transport for London, which will include housing for 7,000 people and a new shopping centre.
Community organisation Save Our Edgware has been outspoken in its opposition to the development, claiming that it presents a “severe risk” to occupants.
They claim that damage to the batteries of the electric buses charging at the station could create a “thermal runway”, where the energy stored in them is dumped instantaneously.
This process creates explosive blazes reaching temperatures of up to 400C.
It can be caused by damage to batteries and the risk of major fires is increased by multiple vehicles being packed closely together.
Concerns are only further provoked by the fact that the site will sit next to Premier House, a 13-storey block still covered in the same dangerous cladding that was found to have accelerated the Grenfell fire.
Anuta Zack, spokesperson for Save Our Edgware, told The Telegraph: “I am scared.
“The fire safety protocols haven’t been developed sufficiently, and people’s lives are being put at risk.
“Nobody is giving us any information or clarity.”
A petition calling for a halt to the project to address the issue has received 5,500 signatures and will be considered by the council next week, after they initially rejected it.
Developers Ballymore say they have been consulting locals since March.
Formal plans are expected to be submitted in the near future.
A spokesperson for the development said: “The safety of our residents and all users of our developments are of paramount importance to us, and we are working closely with relevant authorities to ensure the proposal is designed and built to the highest fire safety standards.
“The garage would only be occupied by electric buses following approvals from all relevant bodies, including the London Fire Brigade, Barnet Council, the Health and Safety Executive and Building Control.”
A Barnet Council spokesperson added: “Barnet Council is actively working with developers Ballymore and Transport for London to ensure that any re-development of the site directly addresses concerns identified by the community.”
It comes after drivers were urgently warned over EV fire risks as hundreds of cars were recalled.
Meanwhile, authorities were forced to deny rumours that an EV sparked last night’s fire at Luton Airport that left flights grounded until this afternoon.
