Bristol girl’s rehousing plea after tower block evacuation trauma

A 12-year-old girl – who was among residents of a Bristol tower block evacuated over fire safety fears – has pleaded with city council bosses to find her family a new home after being told to return to live at the flats.

Residents of Barton House were ordered to leave their homes in November 2023 due to fears the building could collapse in the event of a fire. In February, they were told to return after being assured it was safe.

But Aaliyah Farah told a committee meeting “life has been unbearable” since the evacuation and she no longer feels safe at home.

Council bosses confirmed efforts to address the issues at Barton House were ongoing, with plans for further discussions in the new year.

During a housing policy committee meeting, Aaliyah began recalling the trauma of hearing news reports about a potential collapse.

But, as she spoke, Conservative councillor Richard Eddy, vice chairman of the housing committee, interrupted her insisting it was a time for questions not statements, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

This led to Aaliyah breaking down in tears, with her mother, Fadumo Farah, demanding that she be allowed to finish. Eddy relented.

“Every night I sleep fully clothed in my jacket just in case the alarm goes off again,” Aaliyah explained.

“The trauma of living in a building that might collapse is taking over our lives. I wake up three times every night because I can’t sleep.”

Aaliyah’s mother, the ACORN block representative for the tower block, said their doctor had recommended they be rehoused due to ongoing mental health issues caused by the evacuation.

“We’ve had enough of being treated like we’re idiots”, Ms Farah said, noting the family had provided medical notes and letters from the community in support of their case.

A housing officer assured the family that their housing application could include details about their trauma.

However, a report about the accommodation needs of Barton House, which has not yet been made public, was criticised for not addressing the impact on people with protected characteristics, such as ethnicity or gender.

The city faces a shortage of social housing with a waiting list of 22,000 households in the city.

Despite the council’s reassurances, many residents have expressed safety concerns.

Green councillor Lisa Stone later raised concerns about an independent investigation into Barton House, asking whether lessons could be learned for future housing projects.

Bristol City Council bosses confirmed that efforts to address the Barton House issues were ongoing, with further discussions planned for the new year.