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Galliard signs up to government’s building safety pledge
Galliard Homes has signed up to the government’s building safety pledge almost two weeks after 35 developers agreed to fix blocks they have built over the past 30 years.
Stephen Conway, chair and chief executive of Galliard, confirmed the house builder has now agreed to the government’s demands after originally being left off the list of signatories.
Ministers asked 53 developers to sign a pledge that they will fix “life critical” fire safety issues on buildings they have developed over the past 30 years, while also reimbursing the government for any money they have received via the Building Safety Fund.
On 13 April, the government published a list of 35 developers that have agreed to sign up to the pledge, including large companies such as Barratt, Bellway and Ballymore.
Galliard was one of the largest developers missing from the list.
In a statement, Mr Conway said Galliard “places the utmost importance on its corporate responsibilities to owners and occupiers of apartment blocks we have constructed”.
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He said he was “pleased” Galliard had signed up to the government’s pledge.
“We have been clear with the government, from the outset, that the cost of remediation should be borne fairly between all participants, including Galliard Homes,” he added.
Galliard’s commitment brings the number of signatories to 38, after Inland Homes and Crest Nicholson also finalised their agreements with the government.
Both developers had signalled their intention to agree to the commitment, but had not signed the pledge by the time the government published its list.
It comes as Taylor Wimpey confirmed in a stock market update this morning that signing up to the government’s pledge will cost it an additional £80m, bringing its total commitment to £245m.
In addition to agreeing to fix their own buildings, developers are also set to become subject to a new levy that will be chargeable when they seek planning permission for a new development in England.
Developers with profits exceeding £25m will also contribute funds to building safety remediation via a new Residential Property Developer Tax, which is expected to raise £2bn over the next decade.
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