Government sets 2029 deadline to strip RAAC from all schools

Aaron Morby 11 hours ago
Share

The Government has set a deadline to remove Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from every school and college in England before the next general election.

BAM secured one of the first big RAAC school rebuilds at St Leonards Catholic School in Durham
BAM secured one of the first big RAAC school rebuilds at St Leonards Catholic School in Durham

The move marks a full stop for the crumbling concrete crisis, with the Department for Education confirming that 62 schools and colleges have now been fully cleared of the problem material.

A total of 237 schools were confirmed to have RAAC in their buildings, all now open for full-time face-to-face teaching.

Of these, 123 will be completely rebuilt through the government’s School Rebuilding Programme, while 108 are receiving targeted grants for RAAC removal work delivered by local authorities or academy trusts.

The DfE said over half of the School Rebuilding Programme projects are already on site or in delivery, under its focus on tackling RAAC.

Six schools are operating under alternative arrangements, where affected blocks are not part of their long-term estate.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We inherited a crumbling education estate, but I won’t let that be our legacy.

“After years of neglect we are giving every child a safe and high-quality classroom where they can focus on learning — by setting clear timelines for the permanent removal of RAAC from schools and colleges.”

Latest news

Second Skanska boardroom shake-up in a year

Infrastructure and HS2 Andrew English leaves business
9 hours ago

Salford 263 flats plan for former Stirling Prize-winning site

ECF £60m building job expected to start next year, subject to planning
6 hours ago

Government sets 2029 deadline to strip RAAC from all schools

Rebuild plan for 123 RAAC-affected schools gathers pace with over half in delivery
11 hours ago

Budget jitters see construction forecasts plummet

Industry braced for bad news from Rachel Reeves
1 day ago

RED breaks into Birmingham market with first big job

Push into the Midlands secures £19m historic office cut and carve revamp
11 hours ago

Court date set for Hinkley rebar accident hearing

Bouygues and Laing O’Rourke face charges after worker seriously injured
11 hours ago

McAleer & Rushe starts £50m London student halls job

Four-block red-brick Poland House to be built near Westfield Stratford
11 hours ago

Bear Scotland workers seal 7.25% wage rise after strike threat

Deal includes union recognition breakthrough for A9 road maintenance staff
1 day ago

Social homes face urgent repair blitz as Awaab’s Law takes effect

Tough new rules require hazards fixed in a day and mould cleared in a week
1 day ago

£700m East West Rail tender race set to hit the tracks

Virtual bidders day for preparatory and support works for the Oxford–Cambridge route
1 day ago

Manchester landmark towers approved

Albert Bridge House high-rise cluster to deliver 800 flats
1 day ago

‘Partial collapse’ hits Manchester demolition job

PP O'Connor flagged up risk of collapse after latent defect found
4 days ago

Sellafield firms hit by third strike in two months

Six contractors face fresh week-long walkout and overtime ban
1 day ago

Site investigation work now exempt from green rules

Relaxation of environmental permitting system could save builders 16 weeks of waiting time
1 day ago

Bid race for £150m London housing estate revamp

Ten infill plots at Hackney's De Beauvoir Estate to deliver 341 homes
1 day ago

Balfour Beatty seals start for £162m Edinburgh concert hall job

Government cash rescue clears way for long-delayed Edinburgh concert hall
4 days ago

Lovell gets go-ahead for £1bn Druids Heath regeneration

Birmingham City Council approves 3,500-home masterplan
4 days ago

FP McCann gets green light for 22-storey precast tower

Work to start next April on £130m residential scheme in Birmingham
5 days ago

Former Severfield director replaced by new CEO at Embrace Steel

Ross McAdam replaces Martin Kelly at steel frame building specialist
4 days ago

Green light for Hammerson’s Bullring market demolition

Plans pave the way for 745 flats or 1,500 student rooms from 2028
4 days ago

JBA Bentley starts £19m Sheffield flood defence

Two-year job to protect Forgemasters plant and Lower Don Valley
4 days ago

North West Hub opens talks on £1bn framework reboot

Contractors invited to shape four-year programme spanning 2027-2031
4 days ago

Emergency measures to kick start London house building

Amount of affordable housing for new developments in London cut from 35% to 20%.
5 days ago

Repeat business helps boost Barhale profits

Water frameworks increase order book to £1.85bn
5 days ago

Big architects hit 12-month work confidence high

But weak housing leaves smaller practices gloomily facing a tough winter
5 days ago

Bovis, Kier and Wates land £1.5bn Parliament revamp

Trio take top spots on major works framework to safeguard historic estate
5 days ago

Laing O’Rourke gets go-ahead for Halifax hospital upgrade

Work to start next year on Calderdale Royal’s new emergency and ward blocks
5 days ago

Work restarts on HS2 tunnels after safety shutdown

Additional safety measures introduced after site near-miss
6 days ago

Nexus lifts orders 62% as Coleman acquisition pays off

Tamdown book surges and margins improve as group loss narrows
5 days ago

Balfour Beatty to be prosecuted after nuclear site death

Contractor faces charges after construction fatality at AWE Aldermaston
5 days ago