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.
By Patrick Mooney, editor