Thousands of council homes in Newcastle could contain potentially dangerous staircases, it is feared.
A total of 3,323 individual homes and a further 57 communal blocks across the city have been identified as possibly needing repair works to replace ‘ranch style’ bannisters. The problem relates to the staircases having horizontal guarding that is now forbidden under modern buildings safety standards, due to fears that children could climb up the panels and either fall or become trapped.
A Newcastle City Council report says that the design is deemed a category one hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), the most serious level of risk, and has urged residents to come forward if they have concerns. The council took back control of its 25,000-strong social housing stock from the now-abolished Your Homes Newcastle in 2024 and has since uncovered 16 different areas in which it is falling short of newly-introduced standards from the Regulator of Social Housing.
In the 57 communal housing blocks, the council says a contractor has been appointed to replace the staircases and should have that work completed by August this year. Letters have also been sent to all tenants of the further 3,323 properties which are thought to possibly have the ranch style staircase design.
However, the council has said that it is encountering problems with residents who either do not wish for the hazardous staircase to be removed or where English is not their first language.
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “Last year, concerns were raised about the design of the ‘Ranch’ style staircase and the fact that it can lend itself to children using it as a ladder or trying to climb between the horizontal boarding. Letters were sent out to all residents who we believed had a Ranch style staircase at their home or within their communal block to flag our safety concerns and to advise that we would be carrying out a replacement where a staircase of this type is present.
“Our ongoing stock condition surveys and ‘Getting to Know You’ visits are providing an opportunity for us to discuss directly with residents any concerns they have and timescales for any replacement works. Removal works to communal staircases are already well under way.
“Residents with a Ranch style staircase do not need to do anything at this stage and they will be contacted directly once their replacement works are scheduled. If anyone does have any safety concerns or would like to discuss the matter in more detail, we’d ask that they contact our Assets team by email on assetsgeneral@newcastle.gov.uk or by calling 0191 278 8574.”
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