THE DUP have welcomed progress on a cladding safety scheme in Northern Ireland, with hopes it can address problems for nearly 500 apartments in east Belfast.
Following the London Grenfell tower fire tragedy in 2017, there have been widespread safety concerns about the materials used for many high rise buildings in other cities.
East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said that after “a painstaking and frustrating delay” a cladding scheme addressing Non-ACM (Aluminium Composite Material) cladded buildings had been announced for Northern Ireland.
He said that after Grenfell, issues had been raised with almost 500 apartments in east Belfast.
While Northern Ireland had received funds to remediate the works, Mr Robinson said there had been no scheme to advance the application, with initial hopes of the Housing Executive being able to administer the scheme stalling.
After work from Stormont’s Department for Communities, and the Department for Levelling up Housing and Communities, he said Homes England will now manage the scheme for Northern Ireland.
“The scheme will come as a huge relief for scores of homeowners who have struggled to re-mortgage or sell and faced the prospect of a remediation bill of up to £25,000,” he said.
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“Whilst the application process will naturally take time, I know management companies have been diligently arranging their applications. With light at the end of the tunnel, this announcement reflects the benefit of dogged and determined efforts to get the job done.”
