London and Quadrant Housing (L&Q) have settled on the money over complaints of a Bouygues-owned firm leaving behind flammable cladding in their buildings
The Bouygues cladding dispute concerned two 10-storey buildings owned by L&Q, both flammable cladding and sub-par insulation fitting.
The towers were built by Denne Construction in 2010, which is now owned by Bouygues.
Denne was acquired in 2016
Denne originally built the two residential towers in a contract with L&Q for £34.9m. When Bouygues acquired Denne, they also took on all the company’s liabilities.
The buildings were left with flammable cladding and “poorly fitted” insulation. Under the updated Cladding Remediation Acceleration Plan, following the final report of the Grenfell Inquiry, landlords and building owners are to be held accountable for dangerous cladding.
The update makes it an offence for anyone to obstruct the assessment or remediation of unsafe cladding on buildings over 11 metres in height, and that by the end of 2029 any landlord or owner that has failed to remediate cladding on a building over 18 metres without a reasonable excuse will face fines or even imprisonment.
At the time, Gavin Smart, Charted Institute of Housing chief executive, said: “We welcome the announcement of new funding, legislation and a joint plan to accelerate the removal of unsafe cladding. This is a vital step forward in delivering the safe, decent homes all residents deserve — and in strengthening trust and accountability across our housing system.
“This is a strong signal that government and the housing sector are jointly prioritising building safety and acting on lessons learned since Grenfell. We support the focus on clear timelines, stronger enforcement powers, and resident engagement — and we will be working with our members and partners to help implement the plan in practice.”
Bouygues cladding dispute settled via mediation
L&Q and Bouygues have submitted a Tomlin order to the High Court, after attending a hearing in April. The order will stop any further court action due to the party’s having made an agreement, and allows the court to enforce the terms of that agreement.
The settlement will see Bouygues pay £15m to L&Q, presumably to fund the remediation of both the unsafe cladding and below-standard insulation installation.
In a statement, a Bouygues representative said: “Bouygues UK is committed to maintaining positive and collaborative relationships with our clients and partners.
“We always aim to take appropriate action to address concerns that may arise during the course of our projects and we strive to resolve any issues amicably and through negotiation, without the need for court proceedings.
“A settlement has now been reached by a multi-party agreement and all works have been completed. Due to confidentiality obligations, we are unable to disclose specific details. We remain dedicated to delivering quality construction projects and ensuring the satisfaction of our clients.”
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