Construction firms say diversion of money towards repairs will result in fewer new buildings
Plans for thousands of affordable homes face being scrapped as billions of pounds are diverted to fixing the building safety crisis, builders have said.
Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest provider of affordable housing, has told the Guardian it is on course to build 1,800 fewer affordable properties over the next five years as a result of the crisis. Another large provider, which asked not to be named, said it would build 2,000 fewer in the next 10 years – a 15% drop – because of the crisis. The largest providers of cheaper housing in London have also estimated they will need to spend £3.6bn on post-Grenfell repairs in the next 14 years, an amount which could provide more than 70,000 new homes.
