Seven years post-Grenfell, only a quarter of cladding projects are complete.
- Out of 4,374 buildings with dangerous cladding, 1,088 have been fully remediated.
- Over half of the buildings in the programme have yet to begin remediation works.
- Grenfell-related ACM cladding has seen prioritised removal, yet some sites remain untouched.
- Recent legal actions highlight financial and contractual complexities in remediation efforts.
Seven years after the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, the UK has completed cladding remediation on only one-quarter of the identified high-risk buildings. Specifically, government data reveals that out of 4,374 buildings, just 1,088 have seen their dangerous cladding fully removed and rectified. This statistic underscores the slow progress despite the urgency expressed following the disaster.
Buildings included in this programme are those exceeding 11 metres in height. While 978 projects have commenced, a staggering 2,308 buildings have not yet begun the remediation process. This means that around 53 per cent of these structures remain in a hazardous state, indicating a significant gap in safety measures and the scale of work yet to be undertaken.
Recognising the heightened risk associated with Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding, efforts have been made to prioritise these buildings within the remediation initiative. The report highlights that out of 498 such buildings, 436 have been successfully remediated. Despite this progress, 11 buildings continue to wait for the initiation of remediation, pointing to ongoing delays and challenges.
Legal disputes have further complicated the landscape, with major companies embroiled in lawsuits to recover costs associated with these remediation projects. For example, Willmott Dixon’s recent legal action against subcontractors and consultants over a mixed-use project in London has drawn attention to the significant financial stakes involved. Similarly, last year saw Mulalley paying a substantial sum of £8 million for faulty cladding, while Newham Council succeeded in a case against Chaplair, enforcing a £60,000 penalty for failing to remove unsafe cladding.
The slow pace of remedial work has been a subject of scrutiny, reflecting systemic inefficiencies and raising critical questions about project management and prioritisation in addressing building safety across England.
The completion of only a quarter of cladding remediation projects seven years after Grenfell highlights systemic challenges in addressing building safety.
