Government should publish a target date for ending cladding remediation
This morning, I started my day by reading the National Audit Office press release “Government should publish a target date for ending cladding remediation”.
It was a stark reminder of the challenge the UK construction industry faces. “As the NAO previously reported, incomplete building records, construction materials that differ from those on plans, and difficulties tracing owners can make identifying affected buildings difficult.
Seven years after Grenfell, 98% of estimated high-rise buildings (over 18 metres) with dangerous cladding are in the portfolio. Mandatory registration of high-rise buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022 is helping to identify any that remain.
There is no mandatory registration for (more numerous) medium-rise buildings (11 to 18 metres), and the Department understands some building owners may be reluctant to engage for fear of uncovering problems out-of-scope for government funding, and others can lack the time and knowledge to navigate the process.”
Peter Apps has summarised the 68-page report into 2,700 words. Peter’s article draws out the salient points that all of us in the industry should reflect on. Some of the numbers are staggering.
· 12,000 buildings could be affected, 60% remain unmonitored
· 258,000 homes thought to be impacted
· 1,000,000 individuals affected
· 4,771 known buildings
· 50% have not started remediation works
· 26% complete
· Repair costs are estimated at £16.6 billion (equivalent to 450 new school buildings)
· Completion date 2035
· 38-month timeline from funding application to project completion is often overly optimistic
We need fresh solutions to tackle these challenges urgently. With approximately 250,000 construction professionals in the UK, I believe there’s a wealth of expertise out there that can help devise effective resolutions. What innovative ideas do you have to contribute?
