Industry news
Bellway to replace cladding on two developments
One of the country’s biggest housebuilders has agreed to meet the full costs of replacing combustible cladding on tower blocks in Cardiff and London, ending months of uncertainty for hundreds of householders. Bellway has set aside £5.9m to replace
the Grenfell-style cladding used on two of its apartment developments at Prospect Place in Cardiff and New Festival Quarter in east London.
The move follows threats from the housing secretary, James Brokenshire, that builders could face enforcement action if they do not
“do the right thing” and remove unsafe cladding quickly. At the Government’s last count, only 40 of 457 high-rise buildings with combustible
cladding have been fully repaired.
Brokenshire welcomed Bellway’s
decision. He said: “Building owners and developers have a moral imperative to keep people safe by removing unsafe cladding and protecting leaseholders from the cost of this work.” Bellway said that as well as setting aside
almost £6m for the work to proceed, it has strengthened its processes and training relating to fire safety issues and will continue to develop these in the year ahead. Its results statement showed the firm made a gross annual profit of £753.4m, up 14 per cent. Bellway’s decision means they have
joined other developers like Barratt Homes, Legal and General, Galliard Homes, Mace Group and Taylor Wimpey in agreeing to cover removal and replacement costs.
Almost 50 student blocks still covered in Grenfell-style cladding
combustible cladding according to official figures. Forty-seven residential blocks reserved for
T
students remain clad in aluminium composite material similar to that which helped spread the fire at Grenfell Tower. Hundreds of students live in each tower block. Only 15 of the 62 student towers rising over 18
metres and using material that officials said breached building regulations have so far been completely fixed, according to the data. Work has started on another nine but remediation plans remained unclear for 21 of the towers, officials said. The National Union of Students has said the
buildings should not be used until they have been repaired and called for a full list of the affected premises to be published. But the Government has refused to identify
which tower blocks are covered in the cladding. It said revealing the information could endanger the
12 | HMM November 2018 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
housands of university students have started the Autumn term staying in accommodation which is covered in
mental and physical health of people living in the buildings and could compromise their safety. “It’s absolutely appalling,” said Eva Crossan Jory,
the NUS vice-president for welfare. “It’s incredibly concerning to see private providers gambling with students’ lives.” The Office for Students called for urgent
checks of the halls of residence. “We would hope that the local fire authority and the Health and Safety Executive checks these blocks urgently to reassure students of their safety,” said the the higher education regulator’s chief executive, Nicola Dandridge. The Government has also revealed for the
first time that 28 high-rise hotels were among 291 private sector buildings that would have to remove the cladding, but again it would not say where they were. None of the affected hotels has had the cladding removed or have even started remediation works, according to the figures. Plans are in place for remediation of 14 of the 28.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
