SIDERISE INITIATES JUDICIAL REVIEW AGAINST ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA

Siderise Insulation Ltd (“Siderise”) has [today] initiated judicial review proceedings against the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (“RBKC”). Through the proceedings, Siderise seeks withdrawal and reversal of a decision taken by RBKC on 11 December 2024 which has the effect of excluding Siderise products from building projects in the Borough, and which is based on specific criteria published by RBKC surrounding the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Siderise was appalled by the dreadful disaster and loss of life at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017.  As a market leader in external passive fire protection, Siderise has led the industry in adopting new standards to help ensure that such tragedies do not recur.

It is clear from the Grenfell Inquiry Reports that Siderise does not meet RBKC’s criteria for excluding companies. RBKC decided to take measures against companies whose incompetence, dishonesty or misleading behaviour had contributed to the Grenfell Tower fire or its spread, or which were not candid before the Grenfell Inquiry. 

While Siderise products were used in the Grenfell refurbishment, the Grenfell Inquiry Report is clear that neither Siderise nor its products contributed to the tragic fire or its spread, and there is no suggestion that Siderise was not candid before the Inquiry, and therefore this exclusion is unwarranted. 

The RBKC decision is therefore without foundation or justification. Siderise is acting to protect its reputation as a British manufacturer which supplies its products globally.

Indeed, RBKC has itself stated that certain companies were excluded from the decision because there was no evidence of either dishonesty or incompetence on their part. Given there is no suggestion in the Grenfell Inquiry Reports of dishonesty on the part of Siderise or any deficiencies in its products, the company should therefore not have been included in the RBKC decision.

Siderise intends to continue its focus on products, systems and services which achieve the highest standards in building safety, whilst helping to develop industry culture and standards aligning with its Mission to “Go Beyond, creating safer buildings”.