As the government’s focus on building safety continues to evolve, Mr Gove insists that developers must fund the urgent improvement needed to the nationwide cladding crisis.

Today, this has been met with a mixed response from property owners and developers across the UK.

As part of the announcement, Mr Gove requested the following actions from property developers to be implemented by early March:

• Fund the outstanding cost to remediate unsafe cladding on 11-18-metre buildings
• Fund and undertake all necessary remediation of buildings over 11 metres that they have been involved in developing
• Supply information relating to all buildings over 11 metres that have historic safety defects which they have played a part in constructing in the last 30 years.

The above plan, if implemented, would cost the property development industry around £4bn.

What Developers Must Prepare for

This puts emphasis on the already mounting pressure property developers and owners are currently facing. The challenge of tackling fuel poverty, fire safety and climate change in new and existing developments is already a financial jigsaw puzzle; here in the new year, it is clear that everyone now needs a plan of action.

While the priority set out by Mr Gove is that of safety, the ongoing fuel poverty crisis in new and existing housing can also be addressed at the same time, if material specification is handled smartly. For example in Walsall, the recent Hamilton and Woodall regeneration project successfully reduced the level of fuel poverty, while levelling up fire safety to an A2 rating simultaneously.

The Soltherm Ultimate HD Silicone system is just one example of EWI systems on the market today that can handle the challenges of climate, energy and fire safety all at the same time. All Soltherm external wall insulation materials carry a minimum fire safety rating of A2 and are readily available today.

Government discussions are to follow which will determine which companies will be eligible to be included within this urgent plan. In closing, Mr Gove’s announcement stated that “for too many of the people living in properties your industry has built in recent years, their home has become a source of misery. This must change.”

To prepare your next development for the new standards in safety and efficiency, talk to Soltherm using the details below for immediate expert advice.