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Welsh Government provides funding for cladding removal
The Welsh Government has announced it will provide £3m to replace Grenfell-style cladding on three tower blocks in Newport.
Newport City Homes owns the only three social housing high rises in Wales confirmed as having Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding systems which failed large-scale combustibility tests last summer, the Welsh Government said in a statement.
Rebecca Evans, housing and regeneration minister for the Welsh Government, announced the “capital investment” today - and later confirmed to Inside Housing that it would be provided as grant.
Last week, prime minister Theresa May announced that the UK Government would provide grant for cladding remediation work on social housing tower blocks in England at an estimated cost of £400m.
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Ms Evans said: “Since the terrible events at Grenfell Tower last year, we have worked closely with local authorities, building owners, managers, both the private and third sectors and others to gather a full and accurate picture of high rise residential buildings in Wales, and to ensure that owners and agents are aware of government safety guidance and taking necessary action.
“Newport City Homes acted quickly to safeguard residents, putting in place a number of fire safety measures, including fitting sprinklers.
“Now it’s our turn to support them with this investment, which will enable Newport City Homes to continue their commitment to resident safety, without compromising their vital plans to build more social housing in the city.”
Cardiff Council has six tower blocks clad in non-ACM systems which failed additional tests commissioned by the authority.
It is not yet clear whether the Welsh Government will also provide cash to remove cladding from these buildings.
A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: “This grant funding is specifically to ensure we have no non-compliant ACM products on our social housing blocks. We continue to work closely with Cardiff as they address other, non-ACM related issues in relation to some of their social housing blocks.”
In the wake of the Grenfell atrocity last June, cladding samples from four towers owned by Swansea Council failed initial testing, but were later cleared by BR 135 tests commissioned by the manufacturers, 3A Composites.
“We are delighted that Welsh Government has granted us this money and that our voice has been heard,” Nicola Somerville, chair of Newport City Homes.
“This funding from Welsh Government means we can continue to focus our resources on delivering communities in which people want to live, keeping the residents at the heart of everything that we do.”
Update: at 17.51pm, 22/05/18 The story was updated after the Welsh Government provided more information.
