Weekly planning news

Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report published

Last week The Grenfell Tower Inquiry published the second phase of its report, revealing a difficult account of systemic failures that contributed to the tragedy.  

It’s an indictment of regulatory oversight and a call to action for all stakeholders in the built environment to learn from these failures and ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. 

The report sheds light on failures and misconduct by organisations involved in planning, building and regulating the Grenfell Tower refurbishment—from suppliers to regulatory and government bodies, to building maintenance staff. It also scrutinises the practices of public bodies including the London Fire Brigade. 

The report finds that the choice of combustible materials for the cladding of Grenfell Tower resulted from a series of errors rooted in negligence by a myriad of parties, who ‘assumed’ that critical aspects of fire safety were not their responsibility.  

Shockingly, it states that there was systematic dishonesty on the part of those who made and sold the rainscreen cladding panels and insulation products used on Grenfell Tower. These companies engaged in deliberate strategies to misrepresent test data and mislead the market on matters of safety and suitability, despite having knowledge as early as 2005 that their products reacted dangerously to fire and did not meet European safety standards. 

The report claims that by as early as 2013, it was clear that Approved Document B—the government’s guidance on fire safety—was unclear and not properly understood by a significant portion of the construction industry and that by February 2016, there were growing concerns within the industry about the routine use of combustible insulation and aluminium composite material (ACM) panels on high-rise buildings. Despite being aware of these issues, the government department responsible failed to amend or clarify the guidance in Approved Document B, contributing to the disaster at Grenfell. 

Furthermore, the report finds that the work of several relevant regulatory and certification bodies was marred in the lead up to the tragedy by unprofessional conduct, lack of training and inadequate knowledge. Such bodies did not ensure that product certificates were accurate and based on solid test evidence and that even UKAS, the body charged with overseeing certification bodies, failed to apply proper standards of monitoring and supervision. 

‘As appears from the findings in our report, we are satisfied that the system of regulating the construction and refurbishment of high-rise residential buildings that existed at the time of the Grenfell Tower fire was seriously defective in a number of respects.’ – Executive summary, Grenfell Tower Enquiry Phase 2 Report 

In response to its findings, the report recommends significant reforms, including the creation of a single independent ‘construction regulator’ to oversee the entire industry.  

It also suggests expanding the definition of ‘high-risk’ buildings and revising fire safety strategies to be a mandatory part of building control applications for such buildings. 

You can read the full report here.¹

The government have responded to the report by saying they will carefully consider its recommendations to ensure similar tragedy does not occur again. 

You can read a range of further industry reactions to phase 2 of the Inquiry's report on PBC today.²

UK’s largest ever solar project approved

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has granted development consent to Island Green Power's 600 MegaWatt Cottam Solar Project, marking it as the UK's largest solar project to date.³ 

This approval follows the July planning consent for three other major solar farms, totalling 1.35 GW, granted by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.

The Cottam project spans four sites, covering a total of 1,150 hectares across the border between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. The project will utilise the grid connection previously used by the now-demolished Cottam coal-fired power plant.

Stephen Wilding, Director of Business Development at Solar Energy UK, described the announcement as "another step in the right direction towards a sustainably powered solar nation." 

Planning Portal and TerraQuest endorse the clean energy drive, and are keen to do what we can to support this kind of key infrastructure. TerraQuest offer essential land identifying services to support developers and projects within the solar sector. Visit our website to find out more.⁴

Bolton’s new approach to validating planning applications

Bolton Council has announced that it will reject ‘substandard’ planning applications in an attempt to streamline its planning efforts and reduce the number of open cases. 

They found that while most applications can be determined quickly, a substantial number have historically fallen short of meeting national and local planning standards, and that ‘negotiating improvements to these substandard applications has been a significant drain on resources, delaying the processing of all applications’. 

Under the newly introduced system, applications requiring major alterations will now be rejected at the validation stage. This change allows the planning team to concentrate resources on ‘applications that meet policy requirements’, ensuring faster determinations with ‘limited intervention from officers’. 

Deputy Leader Cllr Akhtar Zaman, said: ‘These changes bring us in line with some other councils, who are already taking a much stronger line on rejecting substandard planning applications and this will allow other applications to be considered faster’. 

Read the full statement on Bolton's website.⁵

If your local authority is struggling with capacity or resourcing issues, TerraQuest offer a range of support services to help you clear backlogs and manage caseloads. We offer a range of flexible packages – tailored to your specific needs. Visit our website to find out more.⁶

1. https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/phase-2-report
2. https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/planning-construction-news/industry-reaction-phase-2-grenfell-inquiry-report/143532/
3. https://solarenergyuk.org/news/approval-of-uks-largest-solar-project-another-step-in-the-right-direction-says-industry/
4. https://www.terraquest.co.uk/products-services/land-referencing
5. https://www.bolton.gov.uk/news/article/1777/council-streamlines-planning-system-as-open-cases-cut-by-nearly-1-000
6. https://www.terraquest.co.uk/products-services/planning-application-support