Public sector estates management - avoiding the next RAAC crisis

While identifying the scale of the problem and bringing in immediate steps to help mitigate damage is taking priority, we also need to look further ahead. RAAC should not become just one in a series of problems facing the public estate in the years to come.

Although RAAC is present in less than 1% of current school buildings, it highlights a far greater issue of underfunding and lack of lifecycle-based management and maintenance strategies across vast parts of the public estate.

From schools and libraries to hospitals and other council-owned properties, the public sector must improve how it understands and manages its assets. RAAC is one of several structural problems inherent in buildings delivered during the post-war construction boom. Many of these buildings remain in use long after their intended lifespans, making robust maintenance critical to the safety of users.

Funding inevitably plays a significant role. Many public sector organisations, including local authorities, allocate budgets according to immediate risk. But, without investment in assessing the long-term risks, problems arise. Had the right approach to long-term risk been in place, the RAAC situation might have been identified and mitigated far earlier.

Effective evaluation requires in-depth surveys to get under the skin of a building and identify issues not visible on the surface, work that comes at a cost. However, the cost of not conducting these surveys is potentially far higher, especially when more extensive remedial work becomes necessary further down the line.

Local authorities and the wider public sector do not have to manage this challenge alone. SCAPE, supported by an expert supply chain, has considerable experience in strategic asset management; from planning and standards through to compliance. We also provide practical help to undertake detailed stock condition surveys, enabling clients to make informed decisions.

While new builds can be cost effective, retrofitting and maintaining existing assets remains a core responsibility for local authorities. Stock condition surveys across public sector estates should be intrusive, thorough and underpinned by rigorous compliance regimes that include maintenance schedules.

The scale and complexity of the task will depend on the size of the estate, but it doesn’t need to be completed by the public sector alone. Independent strategic partners or those working through partnering arrangements can provide the dedicated teams required for historic repairs, reactive maintenance and ongoing stewardship of public buildings.

Using technology such as digital twins and BIM in surveying strengthen the process by enabling detailed assessments of building components. This helps shape robust, risk-based maintenance strategies and ensures that materials and construction practices used in new builds avoid the issues now seen with RAAC.

A consistent approach to stock condition surveying and asset planning is also essential in supporting a safer, more sustainable and resilient public estate.

For this to work nationally it needs to start at a local level. Every public sector organisation should reassess its estate and its approach to asset management. What mitigation strategies are in place? Are stock condition surveys and asset management plans current and robust? Does the organisation truly understand its estate and the risks it carries?

Despite the challenges, the public sector continues to manage complex estates effectively, often with limited budgets. However, to deliver a safer and more sustainable built environment, and reduce the growing maintenance backlog, we must shift to proactive management.

There will never be unlimited funding. But taking a long-term, strategic approach to asset management reduces costs over time, helps organisations fully understand their property portfolios, and avoids the need for crisis-driven responses. Additionally, this approach could release funding for new development, creating greater value to communities across the country.