The Government must lead an urgent national effort to remove all dangerous cladding from buildings by June 2022, including the prioritisation of blocks most at risk.
Since the fire at Grenfell Tower more than three years ago, the government has adopted a ‘hands-off’ approach to the remediation of other buildings with dangerous cladding and insisted that making properties safe is the responsibility of building owners.
But three years on, in the face of slow progress and a mounting number of buildings requiring work, it is time for the government to recognise that only a national effort can solve this problem.
It is not right that buildings with minor defects are remediated before those with seriously dangerous cladding systems and we know enough about the risks now to make judgements about the buildings which pose the most risk.
The government must take the responsibility for finding these towers and making them safe before another disaster strikes.
Originally posted in Inside Housing on 27/09/20 by Peter Apps