A CONCERNED resident at a block of flats in Renfrew has hit out at a property developer for failing to replace “unsafe” window ledges.

Springfield Properties removed more than a dozen concrete sills from the Kenley Road building last autumn after one broke apart and plunged to the ground below.

Colin McNab, who lives in one of the flats, told The Gazette: “Around about August or September last year, there was a concrete window ledge that split apart and fell on top of a glass canopy above a door.

“You’re talking about concrete weighing about 10 to 15 kilos falling from a height of about 30 feet, so there was the potential for a fatality.

“The surveyor’s report identified ledges with a 14-degree slope should have been installed. However, Springfield had put in ledges with a four-degree slope.

“It identified various spots around the block where they were removing ledges because they deemed them to be in an unsafe condition.”

However, some of the ledges have yet to be replaced by Springfield, which Mr McNab fears has made properties more vulnerable to bad weather.

The Gazette: One of the damaged ledgesOne of the damaged ledges

He said: “They removed the worst of the broken sills but still left some with cracks in place that they’ve deemed not to be in immediate danger of falling.

“We have been left with around 12 or more windows with no ledges on them and the insurers NHBC have said the claim is not of high enough value for them to deal with it.

“With no slanted window ledges, any snow or rain is not going to run off. Instead, it will work its way into our properties and damage them – and we would be left with the costs of repair.”

Springfield Properties pledged to take action after being contacted by The Gazette.

Martin Egan, chief operating officer, said: “Our immediate priority when we were first made aware of a potential safety issue affecting the window ledges at a block of apartments in Braehead was to make the sills safe.

“We worked with the building’s factor to ensure the insurers, NHBC, were informed. Unfortunately, they have confirmed that the value of the claim does not meet their threshold and that they will not be remediating the works.

“To support our customers, we will now step in to repair and make good the sills at our cost. As a responsible housebuilder, we will also take the opportunity to survey the other apartments within the development to establish if there are other windows affected and take the appropriate action.”