Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC): Housing Stakeholder minutes: 8 May 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Scottish Government (Chair)

• Aberdeen City Council

• Almond Housing Association

• Angus Council

• City of Edinburgh Council

• Clackmannanshire Council

• Curtins

• Dundee City Council

• Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)

• Link Housing Association

• Linstone Housing Association

• North Lanarkshire Council

• South Lanarkshire Council

• West Lothian Council

• Will Rudd Davidson

Items and actions

Welcome and Introduction

The Chair welcomed attendees to the meeting.

Minute and actions from previous meeting to include SG update

Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed without change.

Actions were noted with the following brief updates provided:

• Bridgewater Housing Association remained the only landlord yet to complete assessment work for RAAC
• following review by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) publication of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) consumer guide was expected in the coming weeks
• the Minister for Housing had recently appeared before the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee (as had a number of sub-group members)
• the Minister had also visited Aberdeen and met with residents. A meeting with Dundee residents would also be arranged

In addition, clarification was provided regarding recent discussion about the possibility of using Housing Infrastructure Funding (HIF) to support remediation of properties in Aberdeen. While it was confirmed that Ministers would consider any proposals received in this regard, and encouraged all Councils to explore budgetary flexibilities, it was also noted that any support potentially arising from HIF should not be considered as constituting a specific RAAC remediation fund.

Action: Scottish Government to send a link to the Official Report(s) of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee.

Meeting of the Parliament: LGHP/22/04/2025 | Scottish Parliament Website

Discussion – assessing RAAC in residential settings

Presentations were given by representatives from Will Rudd Davidson and Curtins on their experiences of assessing RAAC in residential settings – and how these could inform the continuing development of housing specific IStructE guidance.

Members noted that IStructE’s guidance would in effect complement that being produced by RICS which was targeted at supporting the public and would direct landlords and homeowners to consult a specialist in the event of particular concerns about the presence or condition of RAAC in a property.

IStructE expected their guidance to be complete by early July, subject to review and consultation, including with finance interests. IStructE also confirmed discussion with the Scottish Building Standards Hub (SBSH) in connection with the approval process reference to which would be included in the guidance.  

In further discussion the following points were noted concerning the range of solutions available in addressing the issue of RAAC in residential settings:

• remediation would depend on multiple factors including the condition and quality of the RAAC
• RAAC panels were generally a good width for the use of structural timber joists
• the insertion of timber joists fully supporting the RAAC panels reduce the need for regular monitoring (if a plasterboard ceiling was also in place inspection hatches from above could be used for monitoring purposes)
• as an addition (or alternative) to timber joists the use of steel would be an option (plywood could also be considered for structural support)
• in the event of removing roof panels in their entirety the additional costs of scaffolding would need to be factored in
• the removal of a roof increases risk and introduces different risk profiling
• the position and size of doors and windows will impact on solutions, potentially requiring consequential alteration

Action: Scottish Government to collate comments on the technical guidance in due course and relay to IStructE

Action: Scottish Government to circulate presentation material to sub-group members  

Update on development of housing specific guidance

Update noted as provided earlier in the meeting.  

Updates from landlords by exception

Updates were provided as follows:   

Dundee City Council noted that a forthcoming Committee session would consider agreeing to pilot studies being undertaken on each of the five identified archetypes in cottages and flats as well as stairwells (which were currently propped). An assessment would then be made of the most viable remediation solution to roll out across the estate which, given the number of properties involved, would be expected to be a lengthy process.

City of Edinburgh Council observed that across their estate five archetypes had also been identified. The Council was in the process of developing remediation advice with a probable preference towards a low carbon timber solution.

Almond Housing Association, who had also identified five distinct archetypes, were undertaking a programme of panel removal and replacement. Due to subsequent refurbishment it was only possible to do this was the underside, panel by panel, with limitations on floor to ceiling heights also being an issue.

Clackmannanshire Council noted a forthcoming residents meeting and the proposed option of full roof replacement (with option for additional energy measures).

It was also noted that, in context of the guidance, an understanding of the range of archetypes across estates – and how different archetypes might affect recommended solutions – was important. This would help surveyors when carrying out an initial assessment of a property prior to an engineer site visit to confirm the most appropriate solution.  

Finally, for the purposes of greater information sharing, attendees considered the value of convening a separate session – or working group – specifically to consider issues around remediating mixed tenure and privately owned properties. This was broadly supported with the proposal that the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO) might be best placed to convene such a group.

Action: Members to contact the City of Edinburgh Council if interest in joining the proposed working group.

Action: Scottish Government to discuss with ALACHO about convening a separate working group.

Action: Scottish Government to consider the possibility of maintaining a rolling update of data as landlords progressed RAAC remediation work.

AoB

The date of the next meeting would be confirmed in due course.