Regulatory backdrop

Initially published in December 2024, the Remediation Acceleration Plan set out the government’s approach to accelerate the remediation of residential buildings with unsafe cladding in England. An update in July 2025 reinforced this mandate and introduced new enforcement powers.

The revised plan requires:

• All buildings 18m or taller to have unsafe cladding fixed by the end of 2029
• All buildings between 11m and 18m to be remediated by the end of 2031

Failure to meet these deadlines exposes landlords to unlimited fines, criminal prosecution, and even intervention by public agencies, which may step in and complete the work directly.

How much is left to do?

Despite progress since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, thousands of buildings still require remediation. While headline numbers of starts and completions have risen year on year, the pace of delivery has consistently lagged behind government ambition. Of the 5,190 buildings identified as having unsafe cladding, 2,490 (48%) have started or completed remediation works in the 8 years since the Grenfell Tower disaster, leaving over half yet to begin the remediation process.

Enhanced funding & support

The government has pledged over £1 billion of new investment to provide social landlords with the same access to cladding remediation funding as private landlords – a significant shift in policy. More than 1,200 buildings could qualify, with 110 landlords already signed up, covering 75% of affected stock. The plan also provides pre-tender and technical support to expedite delivery.

In parallel, the government’s extra £2bn per year for housing could deliver 18,000 new homes, but this raises concerns: can the same limited pool of contractors, planners, and installers realistically deliver both housing growth and remediation without compromising standards?

Skills and labour constraints

The construction sector continues to grapple with recruitment and retention issues. With an ageing workforce, declining numbers of skilled tradespeople, and ongoing competition for labour across housing, infrastructure, and retrofit, there are serious doubts about whether sufficient capacity exists to meet both cladding remediation and broader housing targets.

In March 2025, the government pledged £600 million to train 60,000 construction workers by 2029. Whilst this is seen as a valuable step, existing labour shortages and an ageing workforce will still make ramp-up challenging.

Tony Hill, Managing Director at Eden Facades, commented:

“The industry is already stretched, with contractors competing for the same limited pool of skilled labour. While the government’s ambitions are well-intentioned, it’s hard to tell if the government’s pledge goes far enough.”

A recent report by Place for People found that construction workers will retire by 2036, removing vital skills. By 2032, the UK will need nearly 1 million additional construction workers to keep pace with demand.

At Eden Facades, we’ve invested heavily in training and upskilling our team, ensuring every project is carried out by experienced installers who understand the latest systems and regulations. By developing in-house expertise, our team is well-equipped to handle the next wave of cladding remediation.

Quality must not be sacrificed

While the urgency of remediation is unquestionable, industry specialists have warned of the risks associated with rushing projects – a concern we also share at Eden Facades.

Tony Hill, Managing Director at Eden Facades, warned:

“Rushing remediation to hit deadlines could be counterproductive if it compromises the technical integrity of the installation. Every cladding system requires expertise to ensure it performs as intended. Cutting corners now risks further remediation in future, which would only delay safety outcomes for residents.”

Cladding systems require expert installation, rigorous certification, and adherence to stringent safety standards to perform as intended. If work is hurried without sufficient oversight, there is a risk of non-compliance, rework, or long-term performance failures, which can delay safety outcomes rather than accelerating them.

The BSR bottleneck

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR), created to oversee and enforce building safety standards, plays a critical role in the remediation process. However, the sheer volume of cases awaiting review is already creating bottlenecks. Developers and landlords often face lengthy waits for approvals, inspections, and certifications, which slow the start of physical remediation works.

With deadlines now accelerated for cladding remediation works, this backlog could become one of the most significant obstacles to timely delivery. Unless the BSR is equipped with additional resources and streamlined processes, there is a real risk that projects stall – not because of unwillingness or lack of funding, but simply due to regulatory gridlock.

Conclusion: Ambitious, but achievable only with structural change

The government’s intent is clear: unsafe cladding must be removed quickly, and housing delivery must rise. But for these ambitions to be realised, several structural changes are essential:

• Boosting the skills pipeline, not just through funding but with targeted recruitment, apprenticeships, and retention initiatives
• Balancing speed with quality, avoiding short-term fixes that could create longer-term risks
• Ensuring regulator capacity matches the scale of demand

The deadlines may yet prove achievable – but only if industry and government align resources, skills, and regulation in a way that matches the urgency of the task.

At Eden Facades, we fully support initiatives aimed at remedying unsafe buildings as quickly as possible. We have a fully trained team ready to take on the next wave of cladding remediation.

If you want to know more about how we work or would like our help with an upcoming project, contact us at 01268 744 199 or office@edenfacades.com.