Second developer to pay for removing cladding on highrises

Taylor Wimpey is to pay the costs of replacing flammable cladding from a private highrise housing development in Glasgow, following the example of Barratt Homes.

It is understood leaseholders at the Glasgow Harbour development were facing a bill of £10m to remove and replace the cladding on two tower blocks and four other buildings. Taylor Wimpey built the development back in 2007, but following a council-commissioned survey it has said it will meet the costs of removing and replacing the cladding plus any short-term fire safety measures.

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: “The residents and owners at the Glasgow Harbour development are our number one priority and we recognise that the current situation is a cause for concern for them. While the ACM cladding met the technical standards relevant at the time of the building warrant application, we agree that it needs to be replaced.” Other completed developments will be assessed individually by the firm.

The move follows the example of Barratt Homes, which agreed to pay for the removal and replacement of cladding at its Citiscape development in Croydon. The decisions have been welcomed by Government ministers, who have urged the owners and developers of private blocks to pay for the removal of cladding rather than passing on the costs to individual leaseholders.