Proposals to ensure Council housing stock is ‘fit for the future’

They include phase 1 of a £21 million plan to address Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in Dundee City Council housing.

The Neighbourhood, Housing and Communities Committee will be given a detailed update on a pilot repair project, with a recommendation that this approach is adopted across affected parts of the council's housing stock.

Councillors will also look at separate reports which outline a whole range of housing investment which will include addressing issues identified with roof replacements and implementing an inspection and maintenance programme for low-rise External Wall Insulation (EWI).

Dundee City Council leader Cllr Mark Flynn said: "These reports propose solutions backed by significant investment to ensure that our stock is fit for the future.

“They include tackling issues which relate to works by a third party or, in the case of RAAC, construction technologies dating back many decades.

"As the housing emergency continues, it is more important than ever that we take steps to retain and repair council properties.”

In the report concerning RAAC, councillors will be told that pilot repairs have demonstrated that the preferred “fully supported” remediation approach is technically viable across a representative range of house types and can be delivered using conventional materials and construction methods.

The system uses plywood, timber joists and, where required, steel beams to provide support beneath the RAAC so that the RAAC no longer performs a structural function.

Repairs would be focused on properties where the council owns the home or retains a council interest, which is 171 cottages and 74 blocks of flats. In total this affects 783 properties, including 237 privately owned properties and 546 council owned properties.

As RAAC is present in roof construction, the households most directly affected by remediation and/or decant are cottages and top floor flats only. This works out as 171 cottages and 175 top floor flats, a total of 346 properties.

The committee will hear that costs of £21.654 million are projected over a five-year period until 2030/31 for the full remediation of properties owned by the council and those where the council retains an interest.

Councillor Flynn added: "Unfortunately, we are unable to offer financial support for private owners affected by RAAC.

“I am acutely aware of the distress that they are suffering. We have asked the Scottish Government for assistance, but we have been told that no additional funding is available at this stage.

“However, we will continue to engage with the Scottish Government to seek help, and also to lobby for greater clarity on the issues homeowners have raised relating to mortgages and insurance."

Councillors will also consider two other reports which would start the process to rectify issues identified in roof replacements and implement an inspection and maintenance programme for External Wall Insulation installations.

Roof replacements were carried out between 2015 and 2020 as part of an externally funded energy efficiency programme.

An assessment has now been completed on the roofs, which has confirmed they are not compliant with a new safety standard introduced in 2015. The British Standard regarding the installation of roof tiles was changed to reflect the increasing frequency of wind events.

Councillors are being asked to agree a potential £4 million sourcing strategy and tender process for roof repair and replacement works to address identified issues and ensure compliance with relevant technical standards.

Neighbourhood, Housing and Communities Convener Cllr Kevin Cordell said: "This work is absolutely necessary to ensure that these roofs meet the exacting standards our tenants rightly expect.

"We have a duty to carry out this work in the interests of public safety, and this investment will ensure that the roof replacement works carried out during this period are brought up to current safety standards.”

Meanwhile, a report about External Wall Insulation is asking councillors to approve a tender process worth nearly £1 million for repair and maintenance work at 5,177 low rise properties and cottages with a Dundee City Council interest across the city.

The periodic maintenance programme would be implemented to ensure that appropriate inspections, repairs, and maintenance activities are undertaken to protect the lifecycle performance and integrity of the EWI system.

Neighbourhood, Housing and Communities Convener Cllr Kevin Cordell added: "External wall insulation at properties has brought many energy efficiency benefits for residents, which has been a help to them during the continuing cost of living crisis.

"This suggested programme of maintenance would make sure that the EWI is maintained properly and that any problems are tackled quickly."

The Neighbourhood, Housing and Communities Committee meets on Monday October 26 2026.