Combustible cladding to be banned for new care homes

The Government will today announce a ban on the use of combustible cladding for all new care homes.

The ban, which also applies to all new hospitals, schools, student accommodation and residential buildings in England above 60 foot, will be announced by Housing Secretary James Brokenshire at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, according to the BBC.

Coming 15 months after the Grenfell tragedy, Mr Brokenshire will say the move is designed to bring about a “changes in culture on building safety”.

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The ban, which follows a government consultation, includes all combustible materials in new buildings, however, it will not be applied retrospectively to existing buildings.

Current building regulations state insulation and filter materials for cladding on high rise buildings must be of “limited combustibility”.

The new ban is to be implemented through building regulations changes this autumn.

Care home operators were urged by the CQC to review their fire safety procedures in the wake of Grenfell (see Care homes urged to review fire safety).

The Royal Institute of British Architects has called for a total ban on flammable cladding as a well as the introduction of a second means of escape from high rise buildings.