14 November 2023 , 00:01
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Construction of a “bold, fitting, and lasting memorial” to those affected by the Grenfell fire could begin from late 2026.
Calls for the Government to honour a commitment to fund the building, and its long-term maintenance, came in the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission’s second report, published today.
A series of recommendations suggest a sacred space designed to be a peaceful place for remembering and reflecting on the deaths of 72 people in June 2017.
The space should include a garden, a monument and a space for the private grief of the families who lost loved ones. The commission was established to ensure the community is at the heart of decisions on the site.
The cover of the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission’s report
Lord Boateng (ROGER HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY)It is made up of the bereaved, survivors and residents of the Lancaster West Estate on which the remains of the tower stand, as well as two independent co-chairs, including Lord Paul Boateng.
Firefighter used selfie in front of smouldering Grenfell Tower on Tinder profile
Views were mixed on whether to use parts of the tower in North Kensington, West London, the commission said. The commission said they will “work through how we can respect the sensitivities on all sides”.
It stated elements that cannot be retained as part of the memorial and which are not to be conserved must be “safely and respectfully laid to rest at a second site” that is agreed with bereaved families and survivors.
In conducting their research, the commission looked at other examples including the Aberfan memorial in Wales, 7/7 in London and the 9/11 memorial in New York.
Among the potential suggestions for a memorial were using light to depict the 24-storey height of Grenfell Tower, or columns lit up with green hearts.
A design team is aimed to be selected by late 2024, with a design developed by late 2025, the commission said. Construction could begin in late 2026, dependent on a Government decision about the tower’s future.
The remains of the block are topped with a green heart and the message: “Forever in our hearts”.
The commission’s 10 community representatives said of the memorial: “It will be a visible symbol to all those in power, of the implications of neglecting a community and a reminder of the importance of ensuring a tragedy that should never have happened, never happens again.
“Today we call on the Government to fulfil its moral duty, and to honour its commitments to the memorial by delivering our recommendations, so those we have lost are never forgotten.”