The government is seeking to address the building safety crisis in England through the new Cladding Safety Scheme
The Cladding Safety Scheme is the government’s largest building safety intervention to date. The programme will focus on removing unsafe cladding from mid-rise buildings.
The Cladding Safety Scheme is expected to benefit thousands of mid-rise buildings, providing housing for tens of thousands of people across England. The scheme will protect leaseholders from paying for the removal of cladding when the responsible developer cannot be held accountable.
The scheme will receive £5.1bn in government funding, as well as revenue generated by the Building Safety Levy on new developments.
Which buildings are eligible for the Cladding Safety Scheme?
This scheme is open to all medium-rise buildings between 11 and 18 meters in England, as well as high-rise buildings over 18 meters outside of London, as long as fire safety experts recommend necessary works. Social housing sector buildings are also eligible.
To apply for funding, building owners who believe they qualify need to use the Homes England Cladding Safety Scheme application portal.
Any leaseholder or resident who believes their building is eligible for funding should provide details about the building via Homes England’s ‘Tell Us tool’.
“The Cladding Safety Scheme pilot was an important step in removing the cost burden on leaseholders trapped in unsafe homes and built on the progress made on building safety,” said Peter Denton, chief executive of Homes England.
“The full rollout of the programme allows us to go even further. Our team is ready to go, and we expect thousands of buildings to benefit over the next decade,” he continued.
Making sure developers commit to building safety
Earlier this year, Michael Gove, the UK Secretary of State, obtained signatures from 49 of the country’s largest housebuilders on his developer remediation contract.
Each developer signed a legally binding document committing to repairing unsafe buildings they developed or refurbished in England within the 30-year period from April 5, 2022.
The government has contacted eligible developers, inviting them to take part in the Responsible Actors Scheme. They have 60 days to respond.
Developers who qualify but fail to uphold their commitments after joining will face restrictions on any major developments and obtaining building control approvals.
This comes after the government announced plans to speed up building control approvals and major infrastructure projects. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities will accelerate projects centred on transport links, water facilities, power stations, and offshore wind farms. However, it is clear that building safety will remain a priority.
“We will continue to work with DLUHC to ensure the pace we’re working at is maintained, so we can bring peace of mind and protection to the millions of people whose lives have been affected by unsafe cladding,” concluded Denton.
