Welcome to our Building Safety newsletter - designed to keep you regularly informed on developments in Wales.

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I am pleased to share a progress update on the actions we are taking, together with Plaid Cymru to address building Safety in Wales. 

There are seven parts to the update, including our orphan building scheme, the developer work plans in place with a timescale for remediation, access to mortgages, social sector, as well as the leaseholder support scheme and our work to reform the building safety system in Wales.

Orphan Buildings

In March, we announced that we were taking forward 28 buildings as part of the Orphan Buildings pilot scheme.

The scheme can be defined as buildings where the developer has ceased trading, is unknown, or the building was developed over 30 years ago.

For all 28 buildings, Responsible Person(s) have been contacted advising the next steps. Our consultants are preparing workplans and works to be undertaken.

This will form part of the second phase of the Welsh Building Safety Fund, and as previously announced, the costs of these works in our Orphan Buildings scheme, will be covered by the Welsh Government. Remediation works will be scheduled to start shortly on the first of the buildings.

Retrospectively Paying for Works in ‘Orphan Buildings’

We are increasingly being made aware of cases where leaseholders have paid up front for fire safety works.

The Welsh Government have agreed to fund eligible works that have already been undertaken, in medium and high-rise buildings which fall in the orphan building category.

Where fire safety works have been paid for by leaseholders that relate to construction faults in orphan buildings, they will be paid back.

Applications are invited from Responsible Persons, on behalf of leaseholders. We urge Responsible Person(s) that find themselves in this position to contact officials at: BuildingSafety@gov.wales

There are leaseholders who have had to pay to rectify fire safety works in buildings developed by companies signed up to the Welsh Government’s contract. These companies are being encouraged to reimburse leaseholders.

We are pleased some companies have already started to reimburse leaseholders.

Developer Work Plans

In March, we announced that six developers had signed our legally binding contract that underpins our Developers’ Pact, and three developers had confirmed their intent to sign.

We are pleased to confirm all developers expected to sign our legally binding contract have now done so. This represents their commitment and intention to address fire safety issues in buildings they have developed over the last 30 years.

These developers are Vistry, Countryside, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Bellway, Barratts, Lovell, Crest Nicholson, McCarthy Stone and Redrow.

Our contract sets out strict timelines, requesting work plans and an update on works underway.

We are pleased to announce all work plans have been received, and all developers are actively engaging with us. We are pleased to provide the following update on the works developers are already undertaking / have undertaken:

• Persimmon are on site at Century Wharf and Aurora.
• Bellway are on site at Prospect place and ACM cladding has been removed from Quay side apartments.
• McCarthy Stone have remediated all fire safety works in buildings in Wales.
• Redrow have provided funding for internal fire safety works at Celestia.

We are pleased these developers have stepped up to their responsibility. This shows their commitment to building safety. We will be monitoring works closely and ensure timelines are progressing to make certain this positive start continues.

We are also pleased we have had positive discussions with the remaining developers, who are working on their plans to start works as swiftly as possible.

Lenders

We also announced in March the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors had agreed to extend their guidance to valuers to apply to both England and Wales.

The guidance will be published in due course, and once published will include a link to the Welsh Government web page.

This will include a list of properties that are included within our Building Safety Programme scope- specifically those named within the developer’s individual contracts and those buildings included within the first cohort of orphan buildings. It will also hold information such as building status and remediation plans.

This will provide valuers an indication of building status and help support the removal of barriers and enable mortgage valuations of flats in affected blocks.

We continue to work closely with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and UK Finance to ensure leaseholders in buildings affected by fire safety issues are able to access mortgages.

Social Housing

In March, we also provided an update on the support we have provided to medium and high-rise residential buildings in the social sector.

The Welsh Government have provided funding through the Social Landlord Grant to remediate medium and high-rise buildings in the social sector.

The latest and last round of funding will close in July 2023. Following this final round of applications, we anticipate all social sector buildings where we have received an eligible application, will either be complete or have a work plan in place.

Leaseholder support scheme

We are aware of the significant impact building safety issues are having on affected residents, both financially and on their health and wellbeing. In response to this, we launched the Leaseholder Support Scheme.

The scheme only exists in Wales and is aimed at those facing financial hardship as a direct result of these building safety issues.

In March, we provided an update following a review of the scheme. We are pleased that one property has been purchased and five properties are proceeding through the property purchase process.

Where these properties are bought, this will provide leaseholders the option to move on or rent the property back.

We are also pleased to see an increase in enquiries following the review. We continue to urge any leaseholders in financial difficulty to complete our eligibility checker, to see if they can access support through this scheme.

For further information please visit the Welsh Government website.

Reform, Design and Construction and Occupation Phase

We remain committed to reforming the current system of building safety in Wales. Our proposals for reform at the design and construction phase were set out in our White Paper, Safer Buildings in Wales.

The first phase of reforms to the building control regime is being progressed. This will commence legislative changes to rectify problems identified within the current regime. 

The first phase will bring in more stringent regulation of the building control profession, which includes private building control approvers, building inspectors and local authorities exercising building control functions.

The changes will improve competence levels, transparency and accountability in the building control professions. This is to make sure that only individuals who have the relevant skills and competence are advising decision-makers before important building control measures are taken.

A number of related consultations have recently been concluded and responses will be published shortly. In the autumn, we will be in a position to make the first set of secondary legislation, for the creation of registers for all Building Inspectors and Building Control Approvers.

The registration process is likely to be opened in October of this year, with a view of moving to the new regime from April 2024.

More information on these arrangements will be published shortly.

We are working at pace on a Building Safety Bill for Wales, which will be introduced later this Senedd Term. These plans for reform will improve accountability for building safety at the occupation phase. The intention is for the new occupation phase regime to include all multi-occupied residential buildings, not just those of 18 metres and above as is the case in England.

Over the past twelve months, we have been working with stakeholders in industry and with residents to help us develop our thinking further.

We are listening carefully to what stakeholders are telling us. It will take time to work through the detail. But what we need is a regime that works effectively to meet the needs of Wales. One that helps to minimise risks to residents, so that they can feel safe and secure in their homes.

We continue to take forward our Building Safety Programme and look forward to updating members as we develop our ambitious plans for delivery.