Developer Robertson Homes has said it is considering if it is “appropriate” for it to sign the government’s new post-Grenfell remediation contract as it has not built any tall blocks in the last 30 years.
The Stirling-based firm was one of 49 firms to sign the government’s initial developers’ pledge last year. Signatories committed to fix “life critical fire safety works” in buildings over 11 metres that they have constructed in England over the last 30 years.
As a follow-up measure, firms were yesterday given six weeks to sign a new ‘remediation contract’ as part of ongoing government efforts to ensure leaseholders avoid paying to fix problem buildings.
A spokesperson for Robertson Homes confirmed to Construction News it had received the new contract from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC).
However, they added: “Since we have not built to the height criteria in England within the last 30 years, we are currently considering if it is appropriate for us to sign the contract when its content is not applicable.”
The developer is part of the Robertson Group, whose chairman Bill Robertson received a knighthood in the latest New Year Honours list.
Robertson Group is among the UK’s biggest 100 contractors. In its last reported full-year to June 2021, it recorded a pre-tax profit of £16.9m on turnover of £588m.
In parliament on Monday, housing secretary Michael Gove warned that any developer that failed to sign the contract would have to “find another line of work”.
He told MPs: “Anyone who fails to sign the contract will be prohibited from carrying out future development and from receiving building control sign-offs for buildings under construction.”
Three major developers have already indicated they plan to sign the contract.
A spokesperson for Barratt, the UK’s biggest housebuilder, said: “We will be carefully considering the detail of the developer remediation contract with a view to signing it over the coming weeks.”
Persimmon chief executive Dean Finch said it intended to sign the document “in the near future”.
He said: “The terms of the contract are entirely consistent with our existing commitment to protect leaseholders in multi-storey buildings we constructed from the costs of remediating cladding and life-critical fire-related safety issues.”
A spokesperson for Vistry, which acquired rival housebuilder and fellow signatory Countryside late last year, said: “We are currently looking at the detail, with a view to signing the contract and will continue to engage with government.”
Others, including Bellway and McCarthy Stone, said they were still assessing the contract. A Bellway spokesperson added that the company remained committed to the principle of the building safety pledge.
