{"id":477397,"date":"2026-04-14T16:28:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T15:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/?p=477397"},"modified":"2026-04-14T16:30:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T15:30:15","slug":"could-londoners-finally-be-saved-from-agonising-cladding-work-delays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/london\/could-londoners-finally-be-saved-from-agonising-cladding-work-delays\/","title":{"rendered":"Could Londoners finally be saved from agonising cladding work delays?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Londoners trapped in high-rise buildings with dangerous cladding could see reparis speed up significantly under new reforms announced this month.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) \u2013 which regulates higher risk buildings across the UK \u2013 has announced a targeted package of measures aimed at streamlining both remediation projects and approvals for new residential buildings.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>The body, set up after the Grenfell tragedy in 2017 to overhaul building safety standards, has previously been criticised for long approval delays and a lack of practical guidance for developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"QyVsPXq79wpHbBuLl5ackMCI6txUvSnim08YgZN2hTz\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Euws8YL2Ky\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/news-plus\/walworth-building-still-covered-in-unsafe-cladding-more-than-three-years-after-removal-approved\/\">Walworth building still covered in unsafe cladding more than three years after removal approved<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Walworth building still covered in unsafe cladding more than three years after removal approved&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/news-plus\/walworth-building-still-covered-in-unsafe-cladding-more-than-three-years-after-removal-approved\/embed\/#?secret=5kvCuzhp6B#?secret=Euws8YL2Ky\" data-secret=\"Euws8YL2Ky\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Mayor of London has said the \u201cbotched implementation\u201d of the regulator has been a \u201cdisaster\u2026whichhas made delivering new homes more difficult, slow and uncertain.\u201d Approval delays have hit the capital particularly hard due to London having 61 per cent of England\u2019s high-rise buildings and 96 per cent of all new builds being flats.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMjI3MjgyMDE3NiIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWNvbnRlbnQgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCIgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi1sZWZ0OiBhdXRvO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogYXV0bzt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtMngxIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICAgICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe BSR therefore made it harder and costlier to build flats over six storeys and deliver critical remediation works,\u201d Sir Sadiq Khan said last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, both ministers and City Hall say the appointment of Lord Roe, former commissioner of the London Fire Brigade (LFB), will help unlock bottlenecks in both remediation and development across the country.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtNTYwMjQyMTE4IiBjbGFzcz0ic291dGgtaW4tYXJ0aWNsZS1tcHU5IHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHU5Ij4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLW1wdTknKTsgfSk7DQo8L3NjcmlwdD4NCjwvZGl2PiAgICAgPC9kaXY+<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>The reforms announced this month include recruiting more case leads, allowing projects to start safely while ironing out any \u201cdistinct technical issues\u201d further dwon the line and new guidance for the external remediation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Officials hope that the move will ensure quicker dispute resolution between the BSR and developers and improve the standard of applications to prevent delays from a back-and-forth with developers over paperwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The overall goal will be to reduce average decision times for remediation applications to less than 12 weeks, with an approval rating of over 65 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lord Roe, who chairs the BSR, said:<strong>&nbsp;\u201c<\/strong>This plan represents a targeted and achievable package of measures to reset the system and clear older legacy remediation cases.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMjk5MzkyOTIzIiBjbGFzcz0ic291dGgtaW4tYXJ0aWNsZS1tcHUtMTAgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCI+PCEtLSAgLzE1NDcyNTA3MCwyMjY5NDE5Njk2OS9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzL3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3MgLS0+DQo8ZGl2IGlkPSJkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLW1wdTEwIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLW1wdTEwJyk7IH0pOw0KPC9zY3JpcHQ+DQo8L2Rpdj4gICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBy doing so and then focussing on more recent applications, we can ensure high-rise residents see essential safety improvements they deserve without unnecessary or further delays.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Officials admitted that internal resource pressures and a backlog of non-compliant applications have slowed down the progress of older, more complex cases, but have claimed a new specialist external remediation multidisciplinary team will go some way to clearing the blockage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Charlie Pugsley, the Acting CEO of&nbsp;BSR, added:&nbsp; \u201cCollectively these measures will ensure current and future remediation applications can proceed as smoothly and quickly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBy launching a dedicated multidisciplinary team and introducing account managers, we are dramatically increasing our capacity to make faster decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"02IxUpVRf31GA6zOnZouEDX9kWitMcB8bTevLHKqhCa45j7SryYlsdw\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"RnNAOzCnv6\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/bermondsey\/bermondsey-family-cannot-flog-home-over-councils-fire-safety-dithering\/\">Bermondsey family cannot flog home over council&#8217;s fire safety dithering<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Bermondsey family cannot flog home over council&#8217;s fire safety dithering&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/bermondsey\/bermondsey-family-cannot-flog-home-over-councils-fire-safety-dithering\/embed\/#?secret=72gGmPAUQs#?secret=RnNAOzCnv6\" data-secret=\"RnNAOzCnv6\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBut speed cannot come at the cost of safety. We will also publish further specific guidance and support to help industry submit higher-quality applications, ensuring thousands of residents can feel safe, and are safe in their high-rise homes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Londoners trapped in unsellable and unsafe high-rise properties will be hoping that the reforms will speed up their own experiences with cladding delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ministers have ordered landlords to either remediate or set a completion date for all residential buildings over 11m with unsafe cladding nationwide by 2029, or risk severe penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last month the Mayor of London said it would be \u201csome time\u201d before significant progress is made in the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn London alone, we have more than double the amount of dangerous buildings than the rest of the country put together,\u201d he told a People\u2019s Question Time event in Greenwich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is a London problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"1AoiTNzYyca7KWnfqFgvM8Q6lEjU\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"nl0cjebYnK\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/london\/unless-there-are-9922-starts-on-affordable-homes-by-march-this-year-the-mayor-will-miss-housing-target-again\/\">Unless there are 9,922 starts on affordable homes by March this year, the mayor will miss housing target again<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Unless there are 9,922 starts on affordable homes by March this year, the mayor will miss housing target again&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/london\/unless-there-are-9922-starts-on-affordable-homes-by-march-this-year-the-mayor-will-miss-housing-target-again\/embed\/#?secret=NjNarqS2Gw#?secret=nl0cjebYnK\" data-secret=\"nl0cjebYnK\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Londoners trapped in high-rise buildings with dangerous cladding could see reparis speed up significantly under new reforms announced this month. The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) \u2013 which regulates higher risk buildings across the UK \u2013 has announced a targeted package of measures aimed at streamlining both remediation projects and approvals for new residential buildings. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19652,"featured_media":59335,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","show_comment_section":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"It is hoped the appointment of Lord Roe, former commissioner of the London Fire Brigade (LFB), will help unlock the bottleneck"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"800"},"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[13539,13549,800,13602],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-477397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-housing","category-london","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19652"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=477397"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477397\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":477398,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477397\/revisions\/477398"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59335"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=477397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=477397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=477397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}