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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
James Delaney

Edinburgh student block covered with protective mesh after wind damages cladding

Student flat bosses have been forced to take protective measures against damage to a busy block in Edinburgh over fears the exterior cladding could be further damaged in gale force gusts.

The lavish IQ Fountainbridge development has been encased in specialist green mesh while experts are consulted over future actions for the building - which bore the brunt of winds from stormy weather last year.

Storms Malik and Corrie, which hit the city over the weekend, sparked further concerns over the condition of the building.

Residents’ windows are now covered with the netting, designed to stop rainproof terracotta tiles from crumbling and crashing onto Dundee Street below.

READ MORE: Historic East Lothian building sold as businessman ends dream of turning it into flats

Specialist teams are now set to be dispatched to investigate the issues before contractors are called back to rectify the problems.

Fees for the luxury block, which includes one-bedroom flats complete with modern conveniences and flat screen TV’s, can be as high as £325 per week, according to their website.

The Capital was battered by high winds on Saturday and Sunday which felled trees and caused widespread disruption across the city.

Dozens of rail services from Waverley were cancelled with an amber Met Office warning in place advising against travel.

An IQ spokesperson told Edinburgh Live the netting had been erected as a ‘precautionary measure,’ adding there was no danger to residents or those walking past.

They added: “We placed temporary netting around our Fountainbridge building after storm damage to some of its exterior panels.

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“A specialist abseiling team inspected the exterior of the building and, while they removed any panels they suspected could come loose, netting was installed as a purely precautionary measure.

“We are talking to the original contractors about a remediation programme.”

“As always, the safety of our students is our top priority.”

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