Second-largest house builder in the UK failing to meet the mark on fire safety issues. 

Persimmon told to consider their purpose and ambition in a scathing review that reveals shortcomings with fire prevention measures and below par workmanship on its properties nationwide. 

A wide-ranging report launched by the Persimmon Board to investigate allegations over poor quality and executive pay. More importantly this report was intended to pave the way for Persimmon to ‘adopt the principles of the Hackitt Review’.

Stephanie Barwise (QC of commercial law firm Atkin Chambers) chaired the report into Persimmon, all whilst representing a group of survivors at the public enquiry into Grenfell Tower disaster.

The report found that Persimmon despite making £1 billion of annual profit did not adequately check whether fire safety measures had been installed.

It is claimed Persimmon has become ‘more a seller of houses rather than a housebuilder’, which in part is being blamed due a poor culture where non observance and box ticking had been allowed.

Significant credit is due to the new CEO, Dave Jenkinson, and new Chairman Roger Devlin, who published this damaging report which states 16,000 homes need reinspection. Whilst this is a good start, more is needed to be done as 16,000 is around half the number of homes that are missing or have incorrectly installed cavity barriers. 

These barriers are required to prevent fire spreading via walls of timber-frame properties. Stephanie Barwise adds if Persimmon new CEO and chairman are to facilitate constructive change, they must appoint a non-executive with construction experience.
 

Source: Inside Housing

Source: Financial Times