Frankston South apartments caught up in Melbourne's cladding crisis

A Frankston South apartment block covered in flammable cladding is such a fire risk that a security guard has been posted out the front to prevent any arson attack.

The owners of the flats have been told by the Victorian Building Authority the cladding will have to be removed immediately.

There is an estimated $400,000 cost including fixing cracking, damp, leaking roofs and mould.

The opposition planning spokesman Tim Smith has raised the matter in State Parliament.

The VBA has declined to reveal the locations of buildings, most of which are privately owned, that have flammable cladding for fear of arson attacks.

A cladding audit ordered by Planning Minister Richard Wynne reviewed more than 2000 building and identified 44 private buildings among the “highest risk” of fire.

The cladding issue across Melbourne was sparked by London's deadly Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

There was a blaze at the Lacrosse building in Melbourne Docklands and earlier this month a fire at Spencer Street’s Becton-built Neo200 apartments.

The Age reported the 33 owners of a block of apartments received an emergency order issued by Frankston City Council.

“We can’t afford this, people are going to lose their homes,” said Craig Fitch, chairman of Summardai Apartments’ Owners Corporation.