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Combustible materials ban follows announcement in the
summer
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Local authorities to carry out emergency remediation
work on private residential buildings above 18 metres which
still contain ACM cladding
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Costs to be recovered from building owners
The government is banning combustible materials on new high-rise
homes and giving support to local authorities to carry out
emergency work to remove and replace unsafe aluminium composite
material (ACM)
cladding.
Regulations have been laid in Parliament today (29 November 2018)
which will give legal effect to the combustible materials ban
announced in the summer. The ban means combustible materials will
not be permitted on the external walls of new buildings over 18
metres containing flats, as well as new hospitals, residential
care premises, dormitories in boarding schools and student
accommodation over 18 metres.
Schools over 18 metres which are built as part of the
government’s centrally delivered build programmes will also not
use combustible materials, in line with the terms of the ban, in
the external wall.
The Communities Secretary is also taking action to speed up the
replacement of unsafe ACM cladding, like the
type used on Grenfell Tower.
Local authorities will get the government’s full backing,
including financial support if necessary, to enable them to carry
out emergency work on affected private residential buildings with
unsafe ACM cladding. They
will recover the costs from building owners. This will allow
buildings to be made permanently safe without delay.
The government is already fully funding the replacement of
unsafe ACMcladding on social
sector buildings above 18 metres.
Secretary of State for Communities, Rt Hon MP said:
Everyone has a right to feel safe in their homes and I have
repeatedly made clear that building owners and developers must
replace dangerous ACMcladding. And the
costs must not be passed on to leaseholders.
My message is clear – private building owners must pay for this
work now or they should expect to pay more later.
