黑洞社区

Lord Stephen Greenhalgh has said the government will definitely use new powers in the 黑洞社区 Safety Act to sanction housebuilders if they do not contribute towards fire safety remediation costs.

The building safety minister told 黑洞社区 on Tuesday that with Galliard Homes signing the pledge last week , the 鈥渓ast of the really major housebuilders鈥� have now signed up to Michael Gove鈥檚 fire safety developer deal. 

Under this deal, developers agree to remediate their own blocks above 11 metres in height without using the 黑洞社区 Safety Fund. Telford Homes also revealed it had signed the pledge yesterday, bringing the total to publicly announce they have signed up to 39.

However, the government reportedly asked 53 housebuilders to sign up to the pledge in total, meaning 14 may have been asked to but so far not complied.

Greenhalgh said: 鈥淭he reality is there are sanctions if you don鈥檛 [sign up to the deal] so we want these people to rethink.鈥�

Amendments to the 黑洞社区 Safety Act, give ministers the power to prevent companies building out schemes, even if they have planning permission, for 鈥渁ny purpose connected with securing the safety of people鈥�. It also allows them to prevent them from applying for or receiving building control approval for the same purpose.

Asked if the government would be prepared to use these powers, which have been branded 鈥榙raconian鈥� and 鈥榚xtreme鈥� by legal experts, Lord Greenhalgh said: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we have put those powers in law. It鈥檚 not for show, it is necessary, otherwise it falls on the taxpayers and they are innocent, it can鈥檛 be right.

鈥淎t the end of the day, these are issues that require the industry to step up to the plate, they have made very good profits over the past five years since Grenfell.鈥�

Greenhalgh stressed however that the largest housebuilders were just the first group targeted and the government would be seeking contributions from others across the construction industry.

He said: 鈥淲e鈥檝e started with the largest and we are working our way through the supply chain appropriately.鈥�

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Peter Caplehorn, chief executive of the Construction Products Association (CPA) said Gove promising to 鈥渄o whatever it takes鈥� to make sure manufacturers of building materials are held to account for the cladding crisis.

Greenhalgh also pointed out the 黑洞社区 Safety Act gives ministers the power to make cost contribution orders to force manufacturers of products who have been prosecuted under products regulations to pay toward remediation costs.

Meanwhile, Stewart Baseley, executive chair of the the Homes Builders Federation, saying that the proposed 拢3bn levy on housebuilders to fund remediation of 鈥榦rphaned鈥� building is neither 鈥渇air or justified鈥� and comes on top of an estimated 拢2.5bn to 拢3bn to be paid by the industry through the residential property developer tax and 拢2bn through the cladding costs pledge.

He said: 鈥漌e are concerned that an overall bill for UK housebuilders of more than 拢8bn that is suggested by the announcement will harm housing supply and create a distorted market leaving them disadvantaged in comparison with overseas developers andother housing providers鈥�.