Cladding set to be removed from Sheffield building following Grenfell Tower disaster

William Martin, who lives in an apartment in the Metis Tower, West Bar, clubbed together with residents from across the country to set up the UK Cladding Action Group.

And after several meetings between campaigners and ministers, housing secretary James Brokenshire said the Government would set up a £200 million fund for new cladding.

The move has sparked much debate on The Star’s Facebook page.

Jane Davidson claimed the Government “won’t be paying, it is the likes of us that will.”

Rosemary Farnell said: “Whoever built it should pay” and added: “When will Grenfell Tower be pulled down?”

Paul Bramall believes the “architects should pay” while Mick Kent asked: “What's happening about the sprinklers that are supposed to be fitted to all council tower blocks.”

James Burns welcomed the move and believes it is “about time too.”

Mr Martin, a 31-year-old medical school student at the University of Sheffield, said the Government had told the group that building owners would have to ‘apply’ to have the cladding replaced within a three-month time period.

He added: “Every night I do still go to bed in a building that’s got the same cladding on Grenfell so, in a way, my feelings are still the same as they were before the announcement.”

Mr Brokenshire admitted he had changed his mind on demanding that freeholders pay up for safety work.

He said some building owners had tried to pass on the costs to residents by threatening them with bills running to thousands of pounds.

A total of 72 people were killed in the blaze at Grenfell, with the fire believed to have been started by a faulty fridge-freezer and then spreading in the cladding of the building.