Welsh Cabinet Secretary to Meet with Cladding Campaigners Over Delays to High-Rise Safety Works
The new Welsh cabinet secretary for housing has agreed to meet with cladding campaigners after they raised concerns that work to make high-rise buildings fire-safe is progressing too slowly. Welsh Cladiators wrote to Jayne Bryant in August to express their worries and continue pushing for a consultation forum with affected residents and leaseholders. A Welsh Government spokesperson confirmed that the cabinet secretary will engage with representatives of Welsh Cladiators next month as part of a stakeholder group dedicated to discussing remediation progress.
Leaseholders at the Celestia flats in Cardiff Bay have been advocating for years to have remediation work carried out at their blocks, and for developers to bear the costs. Recently, residents at Celestia were informed that there will be a hearing in 2026 to address their claims that the developers, Redrow, ought to assume responsibility for rectifying further building defects. Despite an offer by Redrow in April to fund and execute fire safety works on the exterior of the buildings, the Celestia Management Company Limited noted delays in the process and highlighted “important omissions.”
The Celestia Management Company Limited and selected leaseholders sought permission in court to add additional serious building defects to their existing claims against Redrow. Redrow’s counsel attributed delays in their current remediation plans to the management company, but this was refuted during court proceedings. The court permitted amendments and set directions for a trial in 2026. Redrow has previously funded internal fire safety works at Celestia and has now obtained planning permission for external remedial works, scheduled to commence in early 2025 and complete by early 2027.
The inquiry report into the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 highlighted failures in government and private sectors that led to the unsafe conditions. Recently, a fire broke out at a 45-storey block in Dagenham, prompting over 80 evacuations. These incidents underscore the urgency for building safety improvements. While some developers in Wales have committed to a building safety pact with the Welsh Government, campaigners like Welsh Cladiators insist that remediation efforts are sluggish and advocate for legislative changes to expedite the process.
In their letter to Jayne Bryant, Welsh Cladiators lamented the slow progress and described challenges faced by members pursuing legal avenues due to developers’ inadequate response. The group emphasised the need for more transparency regarding the extent of the issue in Wales and ongoing remediation progress. A Welsh Government spokesperson affirmed that the cabinet secretary will convene with Cladiators next month to address these concerns within the Strategic Stakeholder Group.
As the dialogue between stakeholders continues, the focus remains on accelerating high-rise building safety works across Wales to safeguard residents and leaseholders. The collective efforts of campaigners and government officials signal a commitment to resolving these critical issues and ensuring the safety of communities throughout the region.