Grenfell Tower Refurbishment Was Not Approved, Council's Online Record States
LBC has learned the renovation work on the Grenfell Tower are listed as "Not Approved" on the council's own website.
At least 79 people died after the 24-storey tower caught fire last week.
Much of the focus has been on new cladding to the outside of the building, which was added in the refurbishment that was completed last July.
But according to their own online records, the £10 million project was never signed off by officials from Kensington and Chelsea council.
However, an online statement from Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea read: "Please note that the status ‘Completed Not approved’ does not mean that the work was not approved under the Building Regulations.
"The formal signing off of the work was provided by a completion certificate and not by a full plans decision notice, which was not required in this case. The system status “Not approved” appears because a decision notice was not issued. However, a completion certificate was issued signing off the works under the Building Regulations."
LBC's Political Editor Theo Usherwood explains: "To provide a building control completion certificate inspectors from the council - or an approved external contractor - would have had to review whether the refurbished building was in line with the original plans and met fire and safety regulations.
"Records show those plans were submitted by Studio E architects in August 2014. Work started in November and surveyors would have visited the site regularly to ensure the work met safety standards."
LBC has approached to Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council and Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation for comment.