Combustible cladding set to be removed from block of flats in Cardiff

Alex Seabrook, local democracy reporter

Combustible cladding on a block of flats in Cardiff is now set to be removed due to fire safety concerns.

The block of flats, Galleon House, 119–245 Galleon Way, is opposite County Hall in Atlantic Wharf, and part of the building is currently clad in combustible timber.

The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, which killed 72 people, raised concerns across the UK about how combustible some cladding is, as well as other fire safety concerns.

Although the timber cladding on Galleon House is different from the aluminum composite material responsible for the rapid spread of the fire on Grenfell Tower, fire safety concerns mean it will soon be replaced with non-combustible cladding.

Cardiff council recently approved planning permission for the replacement works, meaning they can now begin. Questions to Cardiff Community Housing Association, such as who applied for the permission, and about when the work would start and how long it would take were not answered.

Details about the combustible cladding and replacement works were revealed in planning documents submitted as part of the application.

‘Safety concerns’ 

Chris Ellis, a council planning officer, said: “This re-cladding is required as a result of safety concerns—fire risk—nationally.”

The housing association is being represented by consultants Stride Treglown.

Also in planning documents, Francis Carpenter, a planning consultant with Stride Treglown, said: “Stride Treglown is acting on behalf of Cardiff Community Housing Association in respect of proposals to reclad the Galleon House building.

“The building is proposed to be re-clad due to concerns over the combustibility of the existing cladding solutions. The works will require the removal of the timber cladding and replacement with non-combustible timber effect cladding to closely match the original.”

Cardiff council received the planning application on December 16 last year, and approved the works on Wednesday, March 10.

Cardiff Community Housing Association was asked to comment.