Fire safety equipment is being upgraded following ongoing issues at 50 flats in Round Hill Close built in a £10.3m scheme as part of Townhill Park regeneration.

Residents moved into the homes in April 2019 but in late 2021 were told remedial fire safety works were needed in line with the latest standards and regulations.

An investigation is now underway examining the entire building after issues were discovered. The city council has repeatedly said people in the block are 'not at risk'.

But worried residents have raised concerns at a crunch meeting with the city council.

That was sparked after a full evacuation of the building on September 24 due to a system fault, with some residents saying individual alarms did not go off.

READ MORE: Southampton man avoids jail after killing grandmother in Bassett Green Road crash

'We don't feel safe'

Speaking to the Echo after the meeting, 35-year-old Annemarie Cave said: "All of this just makes me feel ill.

"My fire alarm doesn’t even work so how am I supposed to evacuate when there’s a fire when it doesn’t even work. It’s a shambles, it’s horrible."

Georgina Poore, 67, added: "We don’t feel like we’re safe.

"But you try not to process it and you try not to think about it."

Stacey Corbin, 31, who lives in the flats said: "Because I suffer from anxiety and depression I was [really scared]".

New alarm system

Letters were sent out warning of issues with fire stopping - the way buildings are designed to contain a blaze - in October last year.

Then in December the fire policy was changed from staying put in the event of a blaze to a full evacuation.

A waking watch was also introduced with security patrolling the site 24 hours a day.

A new fire alarm system to help a full evacuation - including wireless sounders in flats - was in place by February.

There was a fault in one device during the September 24 evacuation and this has now been fixed, the council said.

'Safety is our top priority'

In a statement, Cllr Lisa Mitchell, the Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “The safety of residents is our top priority, and we are working with our contractor to identify fire safety improvements to this building.

“These investigations are ongoing at this time, and we will be holding an additional meeting in November to report back to the residents.

“I sympathise with the residents of 46 Roundhill Close and welcome their continued feedback.

“I will continue to meet with residents to reassure them that we have put measures in place to ensure their safety as we work to complete our investigations and any required repairs.”

A spokeswoman for contractor Drew Smith added: "We are aware of the concerns that residents have at Roundhill Close and safety is our number one priority, we are working closely with Southampton City Council to investigate and complete any required works."

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed a crew from Hightown was called to the flats at 9.28pm on September 24.

"The alarm was caused by a system fault," the spokesman said.

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.

Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.

You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.

Don't just take my word for it - subscribe today.

Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by searching Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents on Facebook

Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated group by searching Hampshire Court and Crime News on Facebook