Friday 29 March 2019 - The latest news and updates from the Chalcots Estate

Dear resident,

Update on replacement of cladding, windows and curtain wall

As you may be aware, in January 2019 the council made the decision to award the contract to Wates and since then work has started on the detailed design of the cladding, curtain wall and windows.

Windows

On Wednesday we met with the Chalcots Works Group to discuss the design of the windows ahead of a decision being made about the replacement window type. It was a challenging meeting and your TRA representatives and councillors were unhappy with some aspects of what was being proposed and did not feel there was enough detail for a decision to be made.

We will now be postponing the decision on the window type until we have shared more detailed proposals with the Chalcots Works Group on the week beginning 8 April.

Thank you to the TRA reps who continue to give up their time to work alongside the council and contractors to ensure the voice of residents are heard throughout this process.

Cladding

The design of the cladding is now complete and we are planning to test it in late July 2019. This will test the performance of the full cladding system we are looking to install. The cladding system has an A1 fire rating which means that every component is fire-resistant, including the solid aluminium panels we displayed at Swiss Cottage Library in December last year.

We will also be applying for planning approval for the detailed design and we expect the application to be considered by the council’s Planning Committee in July 2019. This is needed because we are using A1 rated matte anodised solid aluminium panels which have a different finish to the powder coated panels you had before.

In terms of works on site, there will be a lot of survey activity both inside and outside of flats in the next few months. Surveys will be carried out in empty properties and could include some drilling to test the concrete or removing windows. We will aim to minimise disruption to residents and will write to you in more detail about the survey work before it starts.

Asbestos and fire stopping

The current Wates staff who have been carrying out general fire stopping works will leave site on 8 April to make room for the new team who will be replacing the cladding and curtain wall. The fire stopping work will continue and will be coordinated by staff at the council’s Jamestown Road office.

If you have outstanding asbestos or fire stopping works you can still contact your resident liaison officer (RLO) to complete the work in your flat. If you haven’t had an asbestos appointment or received your API (asbestos report) please contact your RLO to book an appointment – check the poster in your block for contact details. If there are any outstanding works in your flat please contact Donna Peters at [email protected] or on 020 7974 3889.

Job and training opportunities

We’ll be working with your TRAs to agree how we introduce Wates’ new resident liaison staff to you. You will be able to meet them in April and May – dates to be agreed with your TRA reps.

Wates will also be launching their Building Futures apprenticeship programme. This is a two week pre-apprenticeship open to all Chalcots residents aged 19 and over, and is an opportunity for local residents to gain skills and experience, improve employment opportunities and access further training and learning. Please look out for posters from next week to find out how to apply.

I hope that the above information is helpful and if you have any queries please do not hesitate to talk to our consultation lead, Donna Peters, who can be contacted on 020 7974 3889 or [email protected]

Yours faithfully

Gavin Haynes

Director of Property Management