According to The Telegraph, the proposed reconstruction, likely to take over a year to complete, would be built to precise specifications inside a warehouse, allowing jurors to view and understand the physical conditions and construction details that contributed to the fire’s rapid spread.

Detective Superintendent Garry Moncrieff, the senior officer leading the criminal investigation, described the replica as “essential” for communicating highly complex construction and design evidence in future court proceedings. With the original tower slated for demolition due to structural safety concerns, the replica would serve as a critical visual aid to supplement photographs, videos, 3D scans, and other documentation.

This section of the model would focus on replicating both the pre- and post-refurbishment states of the building’s exterior, specifically highlighting the cladding and façade systems that have been central to the fire’s spread.

The materials and configuration used during Grenfell’s ill-fated refurbishment created a vertical cavity without effective fire breaks, forming a chimney-like channel that allowed flames to travel quickly up the structure. Similar details were previously demonstrated using a 1:5 scale model during the Grenfell Inquiry by architecture expert and former RIBA president Paul Hyett, who illustrated how poor design and installation of the cladding system played a key role in the disaster.

However, the decision to potentially proceed with a full-scale replica has drawn criticism from victims’ families, who see it as a further delay in a process already nearing its ninth year with no charges filed. Grenfell Next of Kin, a group representing around half of the bereaved families, voiced frustration at the timeline and the reliance on such a labour-intensive approach in the era of advanced digital modelling technologies. “Have they not heard of 3D modelling, AI, CGI, etc.?” the group asked on social media.

Police say the replica would aid jurors in understanding complex technical details that might otherwise be difficult to grasp, particularly if and when trials commence, now projected to be no earlier than late 2026. Files are being compiled on 20 organisations and 58 individuals under investigation, with more than a million words of documentation and thousands of supporting exhibits submitted to prosecutors so far.

The scale and complexity of the investigation have already driven the cost above £100 million, with 180 investigators currently assigned to the case. Despite these efforts, many survivors and bereaved families have expressed despair over the lack of accountability nearly eight years after the tragedy.

Maria Jaffari, whose father died in the fire, told The Telegraph: “We don’t know how many years it’s going to take, and no one knows who’s going to be alive for justice.”

While no final decision on the model’s construction has been made, police say they are consulting families out of recognition for the deep sensitivities involved. Meanwhile, demolition of the original tower is scheduled to begin no earlier than June 2025, with a memorial planned for the site.