Gove turns on suppliers as 35 developers sign safety pledge

Aaron Morby 3 years ago
Share

Levelling up minister Michael Gove has blasted cladding and insulation manufacturers over their failure to commit to paying for post-Grenfell safety measures on buildings.

Levelling-up minister Michael Gove says he will now use powers to penalise manufacturers
Levelling-up minister Michael Gove says he will now use powers to penalise manufacturers

He has now committed to use all his powers to impose “significant commercial and reputational consequences’ for those firms that have failed to step up.

Gove issued his warning in a strongly-worded letter to industry trade body, the Construction Products Association.

Talks with the trade body have collapsed after Gove slammed it for ‘coming up with excuses to do nothing slowly’.

His letter comes as the Department for Levelling-up revealed that 35 house builders had now signed the Government pledge to fund cladding and building fire safety upgrades as a matter of urgency. (see list below)

This means developers will spend around £2bn upgrading their own developments and pay an extra £3bn into Governemnt coffers through the new building safety levy on residential development.

Gove has now written to the CPA demanding to know why relevant manufacturers have failed to follow the house builders’ lead.

“In January, I asked property developers and construction product manufacturers to make a public funding commitment by early March, he writes.

“Unlike the approach taken by developers, manufacturers have failed to make any such commitment. This is simply not good enough.”

Recognising an earlier response from CPA chief executive Peter Capelhorn, he continues: “Your letter proposes several reasons why making such commitments would be challenging or require years of preparatory work.

“Leaseholders do not have the luxury of waiting years for every building to be assessed before funding is committed, and five years on from the Grenfell Tragedy, there is little in your letter to suggest that manufacturers are ready to show leadership and play their part in bringing this unacceptable situation to an end.”

“The scale of this injustice should have spurred manufacturers into doing more, at speed, and it is disappointing that the sector appears instead to be using it as an excuse to do nothing, slowly,” says Gove.

“It is unacceptable that there has been no clear acknowledgement that actions taken by cladding and insulation manufacturers have contributed to the problem, and that manufacturers have individually and collectively failed to come forward with a proposal for playing their part in addressing it.

“As such, I now consider our negotiations to have concluded. I have instructed my officials to do whatever it takes to make sure that construction product manufacturers are held to account through the powers that I am establishing in the Building Safety Bill.

“My new recovery unit will pursue firms that have failed to do the right thing, including through the courts.

“I will consider carefully how to use other powers at my disposal to make sure that there are significant commercial and reputational consequences for those firms that have not stepped up.”

Developers that have agreed to building safety pledge


  • Avant
  • Ballymore
  • Barratt
  • Bellway
  • Berkeley
  • Bewley
  • Bloor
  • Cala
  • Churchill Retirement
  • CG Fry
  • Countryside
  • Crest Nicholson*
  • Croudace
  • Davidsons
  • Fairview
  • Gleeson
  • Hill Group
  • Jelson
  • Keepmoat Homes
  • Tilia
  • Lioncourt Homes
  • London Square
  • Lovell
  • Mactaggart & Mickel
  • McCarthy & Stone
  • Miller Homes
  • Morris Homes
  • Persimmon
  • Redrow
  • Rowland Homes
  • Strata
  • St Modwen
  • Taylor Wimpey
  • Vistry Partnership
  • Wainhomes
  • William Davis

*Signalled intent

 

Latest news

Travis Perkins CEO Pete Redfern steps down due to ill health

Redfern joined builders' merchant last year after 14 years at Taylor Wimpey
44 minutes ago

Glencar to build timber-framed office block

Work to start next month on 79,200 sq ft scheme in Maidenhead
4 hours ago

Shed specialist Marbank files administration notice

£67m turnover portal-framed building specialist files court notice
8 hours ago

Birmingham council submits £1bn Druids Heath plan

High rise estate to be replaced by-3,500 home eco village
8 hours ago

Cannabis farm gang posed as utilities contractor

Gang jailed for 28 years after diverting power to more than 100 cannabis farms
3 days ago

Firm fined after workers climb scaffold without ladder

HSE investigation prompted by death on Liverpool site
7 hours ago

Clancy renews £250m Southern Water deal

Contractor vows to maximise value for money and minimise disruption
7 hours ago

McLaren go-ahead for 314 flats Watford scheme

Police station and magistrates court to be demolished
14 hours ago

Former Liverpool mayor charged in building contracts probe

Construction bosses also charged as part of Operation Aloft
3 days ago

Bidding to start for £700m Irish sea interconnector work

Work includes converter stations at Hunterston and Kilroot near Belfast
3 days ago

Muse to redevelop Durham County Hall HQ site

Morgan Sindall regen specialist seals another major development deal
3 days ago

Mace to transform Imperial College Great Hall

Work to start next month on ambitious refit
3 days ago

£100m plan to regenerate former Digbeth ironworks

Hartwell unveils 260,000 sq ft office and 240 homs plan
3 days ago

Legendre UK wins £21m London homes job for Clarion

Tower Hamlets building to be replaced due to building and fire safety issues
3 days ago

Construction buyers report fastest downturn since 2020

Double whammy of decreasing new orders and delayed projects
4 days ago

Bidders day for £15bn schools alliance framework

Online event to set out details of DfE alliancing framework procurement plan
4 days ago

MPs told safety regulator delays forcing industry job cuts

Industry chief warns housing select committee that BSR is now a main block on meeting housing targets
4 days ago

£600m delivery partner named for new hospital programme

Mace/T&T JV named programme delivery partner for £37bn new hospital plan
5 days ago

£230m Southampton waterfront scheme approved

Town Quay includes trio of 25 storey towers around new marina
4 days ago

Planning green light for £10bn Northumberland data centre

Blackstone-backed project will create 1,200 construction jobs
5 days ago

Bauhaus block above Southwark Station gets green light

Student accommodation and affordable housing scheme replaces original office plan
4 days ago

Police arrest plant hire fraud gang

Nine arrests after kit hired "with no intent of ever returning the machines"
5 days ago

Balfour Beatty boss Leo Quinn to step down

Group Chief Executive to be replaced by consultant AtkinsRéalis chief Philip Hoare
5 days ago

Galliford Try upgrades target as half-year profits jump 54%

Firm closes in on deal to take on ISG custodial work
5 days ago

Trespasser dies in crane fall at Willmott Dixon site

Tragedy after man breaks into £60m Manchester science park site
5 days ago

Ibstock pulls out of GRC cladding market

Materials giant blames subcontractor failures and low margins
5 days ago

Green light for 1,000-home Wolverhampton city centre regen

Phase one of ECF Smithgate scheme to start this year
5 days ago

Oval revises Manchester scheme with trio of towers

Flats doubled to 800 at reworked Albert Bridge House project
5 days ago

More repair work needed at McAlpine problem panel hotel

Contractor looking for long-term solution to loose panels
5 days ago

Redesign delays hit giant McAlpine car battery factory

Size of first building reduced and steelwork start pushed back
6 days ago

Contractor services