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Combustible cladding to be banned on high-rise buildings from next month, Welsh government confirms
The use of combustible cladding on the external walls of high-rise buildings in Wales will be banned from 13 January 2020, housing minister Julie James has announced.
Welsh ministers had committed to banning the use of combustible materials in cladding on buildings of 18 metres or more after the Hackitt Review, which made recommendations for significant changes in the treatment of high-risk residential buildings after the Grenfell Tower fire.
But the housing minister has now approved the regulations that will put the ban in place next month.
The ban will apply to combustible cladding on all new residential buildings including flats, student accommodation and care homes, as well as hospitals, that are over 18m in height.
The ban covers the entire height of the building, and will apply to the complete wall assembly and certain attachments to the external wall, including balconies and solar panels.
The ban will also apply to existing buildings where relevant building work that falls within the scope of the regulations is being carried out, unless building works have already started on site or planning notices have been submitted, and work has started on site within eight weeks.
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Ms James said: “The fire at Grenfell Tower in London was a tragedy that will live long in the memories of so many of us in this country.
“Our homes should be the safest of places. The action I have taken today will help ensure we make people safer in their homes, and leaves no room for doubt as to what is suitable for use on external walls of relevant buildings 18m or more in height.”
She added that Wales has “a record low number of dwelling fires”, and in 2016 it became the first country in the world to make it compulsory for all new and converted homes to have sprinklers installed.
“We know there is still much more we need to do to ensure that there is greater clarity across the life cycle of a building as to the roles and responsibilities of those designing, constructing and managing buildings. I intend to publish a white paper in 2020 setting out the detail of my plans,” she added.
But firefighters said the ban was “not the outright ban on combustible cladding” that they had been calling for.
Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), said: “The measures should apply to all buildings, not just those over 18 metres high, and include a ban on the use of A2 materials. The FBU has called for a universal ban on these flammable materials.
“Governments across the UK continue to allow cladding of limited combustibility for any building work in the future. The Westminster government has failed to deliver this, and other governments have unfortunately followed suit.”
