A “widespread and systemic” failure by architects, fire engineers and building surveyors to comply with rules around building design led to the installation of non-compliant combustible cladding on residential buildings in Victoria, a new government report shows.

The agency Cladding Safety Victoria reviewed the detailed building plans and permits of 804 privately owned apartment buildings and found combustible aluminium composite panelling (ACP) and extended polystyrene (EPS) material was specified on 603 of them, or 75 per cent. It also found the type of cladding specified was unclear on a further 110, or 14 per cent.