BOSSES at a housing association have reassured tenants in 20-year-old wooden cladding flats they are safe.

Cedar Court in Elm Road, Shoebury, which is entirely timber clad, caught fire in what is believed to be an arson attack in March, leaving one man seriously hurt and a dog dead.

Swan Housing Association originally gained planning permission for the three and four-storey block of 24 flats back in 1999.

Yet the association, which is still carrying out repairs to the March blaze, insists residents’ safety at the block is up to today’s necessary standards.

A spokesman said: “The insurance funded works to repair the fire damaged property at Cedar Court will shortly be completed.

“Our housing teams are continuing to support local residents.

“Following the fire we worked with our Health and Safety advisors and the Fire Brigade to carry out a full investigation and confirm that all appropriate fire safety measures were in place at Cedar Court.”

The spokesman said Swan views the safety of all its residents as paramount, adding: “So, we are currently undertaking a programme of fire risk assessments to all our properties five storeys and above including all of our supported housing properties and will take whatever action is necessary to comply with the latest Government recommendations on fire safety.”

Concerns have been raised about the safety of flats which have wooden cladding following the devastating fire in Barking on June 9 which destroyed 20 flats and is thought to have been made worse by wooden cladding.

Harry Chandler, chairman of Shoeburyness Residents’ Association, said: “These flats are a concern. I’m surprised there haven’t been more problems with the ones in Elm Road.

“We were always alarmed about the use of this cladding. It is quite worrying.”

Concerns over certain types of cladding were heightened following the Grenfell tower block tragedy in which 72 people perished in 2017.