The UK Government has unveiled its Remediation Acceleration Plan, which sets strict new targets to address unsafe cladding on high-rise and mid-rise buildings across England. The initiative aims to expedite the process of making homes safe while imposing harsher penalties on landlords and freeholders who fail to act.
Ambitious targets for 2029
The plan outlines a firm commitment that by the end of 2029, all high-rise buildings over 18 metres with unsafe cladding under a government-funded scheme will be fully remediated. For buildings over 11 metres, the government promises they will either be remediated, have a fixed timeline for completion, or see landlords held liable for severe penalties.
To achieve these goals, the government will bolster enforcement capacity, enabling local authorities, fire and rescue services, and the Building Safety Regulator to handle hundreds of cases each year.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner highlighted the urgency of the situation, saying: “More than seven years on from the Grenfell tragedy, thousands of people remain in homes with dangerous cladding. The pace of remediation has been far too slow for far too long. We are taking decisive action to right this wrong and make homes safe.”
Developers to accelerate remediation work
The plan includes a joint action plan with developers, pushing them to hasten the pace of remediation on buildings they are responsible for.
At least 29 major developers, who account for more than 95% of the buildings they’ve committed to fixing, have agreed to more than double the rate at which they assess and begin work on unsafe buildings. This agreement aims to ensure that remediation on all such properties begins no later than summer 2027.
This follows mounting criticism of delays in addressing unsafe cladding, with data revealing that only 30% of identified buildings in England have been fully remediated so far.
Lessons from Grenfell
The government’s renewed focus on unsafe buildings comes as the country continues to reckon with the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which claimed 72 lives in 2017.
So far, 95% of buildings with Grenfell-type cladding have been remediated, but concerns remain over thousands of other buildings yet to be fully assessed or repaired. The government acknowledges that a significant number of affected properties have yet to be identified.
Rayner underscored the human cost of inaction: “We owe it to every single person affected by Grenfell to ensure that no one else has to endure the fear and uncertainty of living in an unsafe home.”
Penalties and accountability
The Remediation Acceleration Plan introduces measures to hold rogue landlords and freeholders accountable. By 2029, those who fail to meet remediation deadlines will face severe penalties, though the specific nature of these penalties is yet to be detailed.
The government will also invest in strengthened enforcement mechanisms, enabling regulatory bodies to enforce safety standards more effectively.
While the government’s ambitious targets mark a significant step forward, concerns remain about the pace of progress and the scale of the challenge ahead. Critics and campaigners continue to call for clarity on funding, enforcement, and how unidentified buildings with unsafe cladding will be addressed.
As the 2029 deadline looms, the success of the plan will depend on close collaboration between government agencies, developers, and local authorities—and ensuring that the lessons of Grenfell drive lasting change in building safety.
The post Government announces tough new targets to fix unsafe buildings by 2029 appeared first on Landlord Knowledge - Landlord News, Information, Guides & Forum.Landlord Knowledge - Landlord News, Information, Guides & Forum - Providing essential and free landlord news, information, guides & advice.