The NSW Government is progressing with its cladding remediation program for affected residential apartment blocks, with plans to tender in the next few months for financial partners and a managing contractor.

Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson announced the tender plans yesterday and also confirmed that Project Remediate would provide financial support to apartment owners in the form of interest-free, 10-year loans to carry out the repairs.

Owners corporations can expect to apply to take part in the project in March.

Project Remediate was announced last November when the Berejiklian Government released its 2020/21 Budget. Up to $139 million has been allocated for the three-year program to remove combustible cladding in at-risk buildings.

“Under the program design developed since the 2020/21 NSW Budget, I can confirm that by 2023 the Government expects to have helped safely remove high-risk combustible cladding on an estimated 225 buildings across the state,” Mr Anderson said.

“This is a significant, complex project. In order to make it as easy as possible for owners corporations to take advantage of this program and get this work started, we have invested up to $139 million to set up a project assurance service that will be coordinated through the Office of the NSW Building Commissioner.

“We will also help take pressure off Owners Corporations by appointing a managing contractor to oversee each individual project from design to final completion, to help get buildings remediated quickly and to the highest standards.”

Financial partners who win the tenders will facilitate the provision of interest-free loans to eligible owners corporations to fund remediation works.

Over the coming months information packs, guidance and training materials will be delivered to help owners corporations navigate Project Remediate.

The Office of the NSW Building Commissioner is already consulting with the strata sector as part of this work.