Latest news with #BuildingSafety(Wales)Bill
Wales Online
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Wales Online
Hundreds of Welsh high rises requiring fire safety works still awaiting planning decisions
Hundreds of Welsh high rises requiring fire safety works still awaiting planning decisions The Welsh Government's latest update on work to rectify high rise buildings affected by fire safety issues shows that 47% are awaiting planning decisions A number of high rises across Wales needing fire safety work are still awaiting planning decisions (Image: steved_np3/Getty) Hundreds of high-rise buildings which need to be made fire safe in Wales are still awaiting planning decisions. The Welsh Government's latest update on its building safety programme, published in July, shows that of the 461 buildings in it, 43% have either been completed or have works ongoing on them. It also shows 47% of the buildings are 'in the planning stages', with the remaining 10% either not requiring works or remediation needs are yet to be identified. The Welsh Government's cabinet secretary for housing and local government, Jayne Bryant, said in the latest building safety programme update that she met with developers to discuss their progress and performance. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Ms Bryant also said she was pleased to introduce the Welsh Government's Building Safety (Wales) Bill to the Senedd in July, which aims to clearly establish who is responsible for fixing high-rise buildings with fire defects. However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands campaigners at a recent meeting with the cabinet minister remained critical of the lack of progress being made to remediate peoples' homes. All large developers in Wales have signed a Welsh Government building safety pact requiring them to make all buildings of 11m or more in height fire-safe. Article continues below The building safety pact was established after the Grenfell fire of 2017 and aims to avoid a repeat of the disaster. Nearly three years on from the establishment of the pact, residents and politicians continue their calls for pressure to be put on developers. In Cardiff, where most of these buildings are located, councillors voted in favour of a motion in February calling on the Welsh Government to be firmer with private developers and make sure work progresses without delay. Presenting her motion at the time, Labour councillor for Butetown, Cllr Helen Gunter, said she had heard examples of families who were 'trapped' in apartments they couldn't sell. She added: 'Another example of elderly residents who have felt the need to move out of their building while awaiting remediation work because they worry and have anxiety about their ability to leave the building quickly in the event of an emergency. 'They have no idea of timescales so can't rent out and don't want to sell the home they love but as a consequence have fallen into the category for increased council tax bills.' High-rise building safety campaigners in Wales also want developers to be made responsible for more than just fire safety defects. Some high-rise complexes, like Celestia in Cardiff, have a number of other issues like algae, damp and rendering coming off the side of buildings. People living in affected flats have been fighting for years to get developers to pay for these works. Article continues below
South Wales Argus
08-07-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Landmark Bill to transform building safety standards
The Building Safety (Wales) Bill, introduced in the Senedd, aims to improve safety in multi-occupied residential buildings, particularly those 11 metres and taller. It forms part of the Welsh Government's response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Jayne Bryant, cabinet secretary for housing and local government, said: "This landmark Bill will fundamentally transform safety in multi-occupied residential buildings across Wales. "Its key principles are safety, accountability and residents' voices, and it goes wider and further than existing legislation in other parts of the UK. "It creates clear legal responsibilities for owners and others, gives residents new rights and pathways to raise complaints, enables standards for professional assessments, and provides robust enforcement powers when safety requirements aren't met." The Bill includes a programme to address fire safety issues in high-rise buildings. It introduces major reforms to the building control system and sets new regulations for high-risk properties. Key measures include clearer responsibilities for duty holders, mandatory registration and regulation of building control professionals, and requirements to assess and manage building safety risks while properties are occupied. The legislation will also apply fire safety duties to certain Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Ms Bryant said: "This Bill is part of a wider programme to ensure that buildings in Wales are safer, and that people are protected in their homes. "The legacy of Grenfell Tower must be meaningful change. "We owe it to those who lost their lives, their families, and the survivors to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again." The Bill also introduces a strong enforcement regime and clearer lines of accountability. Duty holders will have legal responsibility for managing building safety, ending uncertainty over who is responsible for protecting residents.
