Combustible cladding
is to be banned for all new schools, hospitals, care homes, student
accommodation and residential buildings in England above 18m (60ft).
Housing Secretary
James Brokenshire will make the announcement at the Conservative Party
conference.
Mr Brokenshire is
expected to say he wants to bring about a "change in culture on building
safety" in a keynote speech to the conference in Birmingham.
The ban, which
follows a lengthy government
consultation, will cover all combustible materials, including cladding, on
new buildings.
However, it will not
be applied retrospectively where materials have already been fitted.
Currently, building
regulations in the UK state all insulation and filler materials for
cladding on high-rise buildings must be of "limited combustibility".
“I will change the
building regulations to ban the use of combustible cladding for all high rise
residential buildings, hospitals, care homes and student accommodation and
bring about a change in culture on building safety,” the minister said in a
statement.
The government is
already undertaking a £400m programme to remove suspect cladding from all
high-rise social housing in England and is working with those responsible for
private blocks to take action.
The new ban will be
implemented through changes to building regulations to be brought forward in
late autumn.
Adrian Dobson, RIBA
Director of Professional Services says: “It is good news that the Government
has acted on the RIBA’s recommendations to ban combustible cladding on
high-rise residential buildings over 18m.
"The ban needs
to be accompanied by clear guidance and effective enforcement to promote fire
safety and leave no room for cutting corners.
"However, toxic
smoke inhalation from the burning cladding very likely contributed to the
disproportionately high loss of life at the Grenfell Tower disaster. Permitting
all products classified as A2 does not place any limits on toxic smoke production
and flaming particles/droplets.
"In our view,
this is not an adequate response to the tragic loss of life and might still put
the public and the Fire and Rescue authorities at unnecessary risk.”
Lord Porter, Local
Government Association Chairman, welcomed the confirmation that the Government
had listened to councils' calls for a ban on the use of combustible materials
on complex and high-rise buildings.
“An effective and
total ban will provide clarity for building owners who need to know what they
can use to replace dangerous cladding and insulation and immediately help keep
buildings safer," he added. "This ban will help ensure that the tragedy
at Grenfell Tower can never be allowed to happen again. It needs to be
introduced as quickly as possible.”
