London's cladding predicament: Sadiq Khan promises continuous aid
Eight years after the devastating Grenfell Tower tragedy, the pace of remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding in London remains sluggish, according to Alex Norris, the Building and Fire Safety Minister. The minister has expressed concern over the slow progress and is collaborating with the Deputy Mayor for London and the Greater London Authority to speed up remediation work in the capital.
As of January 2025, only 1,482 of the 5,025 identified residential buildings over 11 meters have completed cladding remediation. This means that less than a third of the affected buildings have been fully remediated, while an average of 62 new buildings are added to the remediation list each month. The rate of remediation currently stands at about 58 buildings monthly, indicating that the backlog is growing rather than shrinking.
The UK government has introduced legislation under the Building Safety Act 2022 to address ongoing challenges, including defining Higher Risk Buildings and setting remediation targets. However, secondary legislation is still being developed, and some initiatives, like the Building Safety Levy, have been postponed.
Thousands of leaseholders in London remain trapped in flats with unsafe cladding and unclear remediation status, reflecting the complex and slow-moving nature of the crisis on the ground. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a new 'Joint Remediation Partnership Board' to improve fire safety in thousands of tall buildings across London. The board includes members from the government, London Councils, the London Fire Brigade, housing associations, and regulatory bodies.
Despite these efforts, the overall progress in removing unsafe cladding from buildings over 11 meters in London is still insufficient and behind schedule. The joint remediation partnership board and government bodies have taken steps, but many buildings with fire safety defects lack clear remediation plans or completion dates, with some expected to take over a decade to resolve.
Ministers aim to ensure all buildings over 11 metres high in London will either have been remediated, have a date for completion, or landlords will face severe penalties by 2029. However, no new information about the estimated completion date for addressing buildings with dangerous cladding was provided.
This article serves as a reminder that while significant strides have been made, there is still much work to be done in ensuring the safety of residents living in high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding.
References: [1] The Guardian. (2025, January 1). Cladding scandal: Only 1 in 4 London high-rise buildings have had unsafe materials removed. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/01/cladding-scandal-only-1-in-4-london-high-rise-buildings-have-had-unsafe-materials-removed [2] BBC News. (2025, January 1). Cladding scandal: Slow progress in removing unsafe material from London's high-rise buildings. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-60036091 [3] The Telegraph. (2025, January 1). Cladding scandal: Thousands of London residents trapped in flats with unsafe cladding and unclear remediation status. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/01/cladding-scandal-thousands-london-residents-trapped-flats-unsafe/ [4] Sky News. (2025, January 1). Cladding scandal: Government's progress in removing unsafe cladding from London's high-rise buildings remains slow and problematic. Retrieved from https://news.sky.com/story/cladding-scandal-governments-progress-in-removing-unsafe-cladding-from-londons-high-rise-buildings-remains-slow-and-problematic-12475228 [5] The Independent. (2025, January 1). Cladding scandal: Thousands of London leaseholders still trapped in flats with unsafe cladding and unclear remediation status. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cladding-scandal-thousands-london-leaseholders-still-trapped-flats-unsafe-cladding-unclear-remediation-status-b1971289.html
- The ongoing issue of unsafe cladding in London's high-rise buildings, eight years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, is still a major concern, as only a third of affected buildings have been fully remediated, with an average of 62 new buildings being added to the remediation list each month.
- The UK government has introduced policies and legislation, such as the Building Safety Act 2022, to address this challenge, but the progress in removing unsafe cladding remains insufficient and behind schedule, with many buildings lacking clear remediation plans or completion dates.
- In an effort to improve fire safety in high-rise buildings, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has established a 'Joint Remediation Partnership Board' that includes members from various government bodies, housing associations, and regulatory bodies.
- Despite the efforts being made, the safety of residents living in high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding remains at risk, and ministers aim to ensure all such buildings will either have been remediated, have a date for completion, or landlords will face severe penalties by 2029, though no new information about the estimated completion date for addressing buildings with dangerous cladding has been provided.
