Statements: Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC)

Statements providing updates on work being undertaken to determine the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in Renfrewshire Council properties.

Recent statements

Statement - 20 December 2023

We have now completed work to determine the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

A second phase of assessments and inspections across our schools and early learning and childcare centres in October identified the presence of RAAC in the gym hall roof at Castlehead High School.

Remedial works required at Castlehead HS will be confirmed in early 2024 and we will continue to keep Elected Members, parents and carers updated.

We have now completed our work to determine its presence at Council buildings, Council housing and properties within the Housing Revenue Account.

I am pleased to be able to advise its presence has not been identified at any further properties.

This has been confirmed through Council officers carrying out a detailed desktop assessment, alongside visual and intrusive inspections of properties identified as most likely to have RAAC present.

We also engaged external consultants to carry out a validation of our desktop assessment and carry out site inspections at a selection of properties.

Our property services and housing investment teams continue to review and monitor any emerging information in relation to RAAC.

We have been carrying out additional assessments and inspections checking for the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) across our schools and early learning and childcare centres.

This second phase was being carried out to provide additional reassurance and validate our initial assessments and inspections.

During this second phase, we identified the presence of RAAC at Castlehead High School limited to the school gym hall roof.

Elected Members and parents and carers of pupils at the school were updated on 24 October 2023.

At that time we advised of further assessments being carried out to gym hall roofs at secondary schools and to our primary schools.

These additional assessments and inspections have now been completed and no further presence of RAAC has been identified at any of our schools and early learning and childcare centres.

Our additional assessments involved visual and intrusive inspections where required and we also engaged external consultants to carry out an assurance of our approach and physically inspect selected schools.

The gym halls at Castlehead High School remain closed and remedial works are being finalised.

Alternative arrangements for PE are in place for pupils.

We will continue to keep Elected Members, parents and carers updated.

We are continuing to progress our work to determine any presence of RAAC in our council buildings, council housing and properties within the Housing Revenue Account.

The likelihood of RAAC being identified in domestic properties is low and its presence has not been found in any of our council buildings or homes surveyed so far.

Statement - 3 October 2023

As a precautionary measure, we are continuing to progress our work to determine any presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in our council buildings, council housing and properties within the Housing Revenue Account.

While the likelihood of RAAC being identified in any domestic properties is low, as a precautionary measure, we have conducted a desktop analysis of all our council properties and are now reviewing those which have been identified as having the potential for RAAC to have been used as part of their construction. This includes two houses, 44 flat blocks, nine shops or shop blocks and two office locations. These are currently being checked by our building surveyors.

There has been no RAAC found in any of our council buildings or homes surveyed so far.

Statement - 8 September 2023

RAAC is a lightweight material used in the construction of some public buildings between the 1950s and 1990s, used mostly in flat roofing, but also in some pitched roofs, floors and walls.

It is less durable than traditional concrete and can be susceptible to failure when exposed to moisture.

None of our schools and early learning and childcare centres in Renfrewshire have been found to have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) as part of their construction.

This has been established using our inhouse structural and civil engineers.

This information has been shared earlier this week by Julie Calder (Head of Education and Interim Chief Education Officer) with parents and carers to provide reassurance and we have also updated Scottish Government.

In relation to other council properties that may have concrete as part of their construction, we are working to determine any presence in our council buildings, council housing and properties within the Housing Revenue Account.

While UK media coverage indicates the use of RAAC in domestic properties is limited, we are taking a risk-based approach and undertaking an analysis of our housing stock, whilst taking account of the guidance in terms of the factors to be considered in our analysis, as well as liaising with our industry colleagues to ensure consistency of approach across the sector as much as possible.

With regards to our local authority responsibilities for local roads and bridges infrastructure, our engineering and bridge inspection records show that no RAAC is present.

We continue to update key stakeholders as our work progresses.

Renfrewshire Council