Councils given Government backing to strip Grenfell Tower-style cladding from private tower blocks
Previously, residents had been told they would have to fit the bill to get rid of the potentially dangerous material covering their buildings.
Councils have been given Government backing to strip dangerous Grenfell Tower-style cladding from private residential buildings above 18 metres.
A ban on using combustible cladding on new high-rise homes - as well as schools, care homes and student accommodation - will come into force on 21st December.
New regulations drawn up following a lengthy consultation in the wake of the disaster were laid before Parliament on Thursday.
The ban covers all combustible materials on the external walls of new blocks of flats above 18 metres, as well as new hospitals, care homes, boarding school dormitories, student accommodation and Government-built schools above the same height.
Communities Secretary James Brokenshire is also demanding owners of private residential tower blocks pay to remove dangerous aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding, similar to that blamed for the rapid spread of last year's June 14 Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed 72 lives.
The Government is already undertaking a #400 million programme to remove similar materials from all high-rise social housing in England.
It is now giving local authorities its backing, including financial support, to carry out emergency work on private residential buildings with unsafe cladding.
They will recover the costs from building owners. This will allow buildings to be made permanently safe without delay.
They will be able to recover the costs from the owners of the buildings, the Government said.
Mr Brokenshire said: "Everyone has a right to feel safe in their homes and I have repeatedly made clear that building owners and developers must replace dangerous ACM cladding. And the costs must not be passed on to leaseholders.
"My message is clear - private building owners must pay for this work now or they should expect to pay more later."