RBKC removes Artelia from list of banned Grenfell companies

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has removed construction consultancy Artelia from a list of companies banned from working with the council due to their connection to the Grenfell Tower fire.

RBKC said it had reversed its policy of banning Artelia from any of its building and refurbishment projects last month.

The firm was appointed by the council as QS, employer’s agent and CDM co-ordinator on the Grenfell Tower refurbishment project that resulted in the fire in June 2017 which killed 72 people.

Although the public inquiry into the disaster, which concluded last year, contained some criticism of Artelia’s role in the refurbishment, it did not include the firm in a list of companies responsible for causing the fire.

RBKC announced its policy of banning its contractors from engaging with a list of companies connected to the Grenfell Tower fire, including Artelia, in December last year, three months after the conclusion of the public inquiry.

Artelia’s removal from the banned list follows a judicial review challenge launched on the grounds that the decision was not within scope of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and the Procurement Act 2023.

The council’s ban was described by law firm Brick Court Chambers as “irrational and taken pursuant to a procedurally unfair process”.

Artelia’s claim was due to be heard last month but was settled shortly before trial. RBKC has agreed to pay Artelia’s costs.

The council said in a statement: “In response to the Grenfell Inquiry reports, we adopted a policy banning certain suppliers and other companies from being used in our building and refurbishment projects. 

“This policy has been withdrawn in relation to Artelia Projects UK Limited. This means that the policy does not apply to Artelia Projects UK Limited and it is not a banned supplier.”

The removal of Artelia from the list also follows the removal of Siderise Insulation Limited, which supplied cavity barriers for the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, in July this year.

Companies still on the list include Kingspan Insulation Ltd, Arrconic Architectural Products SAS and Celtox Ltd, the three main suppliers of the tower’s cladding which were found by the inquiry to be the primary cause of the rapid spread of the fire.

The refurbishment’s main contractor Rydon and all companies within the wider Rydon Group are also still banned, along with facade firm Harley Facades and fire consultant Exova UK Ltd.

Artelia has been contacted for comment.