Unsafe London cladding issues linger as Mayor cautions of lengthy delays
Capital faces significant challenges in addressing hazardous building materials
The Mayor of London has acknowledged that dangerous cladding on high-rise buildings will not be remedied quickly, leaving many residents in unsafe and unsellable properties nearly a decade on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
London faces a unique predicament, with the city harbouring more than double the number of dangerous buildings compared to the rest of the UK.
Despite government mandates requiring landlords to address unsafe cladding on all residential structures over 11 metres by 2029, the progress remains sluggish.
In a recent People’s Question Time session, Sir Sadiq addressed concerns voiced by a resident of Theatro Tower, Greenwich, who revealed that her building's Aluminum Composite Material (ACM) cladding remains intact, posing significant fire hazards.
She emphasised that escalating insurance costs and a non-operational lift have deteriorated the living conditions for disabled and elderly residents.
The Mayor outlined efforts initiated by a coalition of City Hall, Government, local councils, the London Fire Brigade, and regulatory bodies aimed at accelerating cladding removal on buildings exceeding 11 metres in the capital.
However, he warned that numerous Londoners must endure extended waits before their buildings are made secure, stressing the inadequate pace of existing schemes despite substantial government funding.
Sadiq Khan, alongside the Building Safety Regular and the Safety Minister, is pushing for governmental action against unsafe cladding of all types and structures.
He highlighted the acute situation in London, asserting, "We have more than double the amount of dangerous buildings than the rest of the country put together."
With over 4,310 identified properties nationwide bearing hazardous cladding, as of February, remediation work has been carried out on 53 per cent, with 35 per cent being fully completed.
However, ACM cladding works have yet to commence on 15 buildings out of the 513 identified.