United Living Group Announce the Completion of Award-Winning Fire Safety and Improvement Project in Lewisham

United Living Group, the provider of infrastructure, housing and property services, is pleased to announce it has completed a dual project on the Hatfield Close and Gerrard House tower blocks in Lewisham. The project has seen its pre-existing combustible cladding, replaced it with non-combustible A1 fire-rated material, and carried out in-depth fire safety, and improvement works.

The project represented over £22 million of investment in the 151 homes and the surrounding area across the three thirteen-storey tower blocks, with circa £16 million in funding from the government building safety budget – ‘Remediation of non-ACM buildings’.

Project completion was celebrated at a garden party attended by residents, Lewisham Homes, Lewisham Council, including Lewisham Councillors Luke Sorba, Joan Millbank and Paul Bell and specialist housing consultancy, Michael Dyson Associates.

United Living Group was commissioned by Lewisham Homes to deliver the Hatfield Close and Gerrard House fire safety transformation project, undertaking emergency works starting in October 2017. The new cladding is designed to be highly fire resistant with the tiles made from terracotta and have an A1 safety rating, the highest achievable. The supports and insulation behind the cladding have also been given an A1 rating. Additional works included the installation of smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, Automatic Opening Vents, upgraded windows, new doors, balconies and structural works.

With residents in situ throughout, it was important that partnerships were formed with residents and tenant association groups involved throughout the construction – with the first cladding tiles installed by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Tenant and Resident Association.

During the installation, the London Fire Brigade frequently visited the buildings to view the fire safety-compliant cladding system and to understand the build-up of the product. A sample of the cladding system has now been installed at their training base. A dedicated social value officer was appointed to the site to ensure the needs of the residents were considered at all stages. Projects included CV workshops, a women-in-construction workshop and the restoration of an overgrown community garden, local apprenticeships and employment.

The project won two awards at the prestigious National Building and Construction Awards in 2021 for the project of the Year £10 million to £25 million category and the overall Gold Medal.

Simon Will, Managing Director, United Living Property Services, commented: “We are pleased to have completed works on this important fire safety and improvement project. It has been a pleasure working with Lewisham Homes, the residents and our valued supply chain partners, helping to raise the quality of life for local residents and ensuring they feel safer, and therefore more comfortable in their homes.”

Margaret Dodwell, Chief Executive, Lewisham Homes, said: “We acted as quickly as possible following the safety tests in 2017 to find a solution and keep our residents safe. Since the elegant terracotta cladding went up, I have thought these blocks look fantastic. Well done to our stock investment and asset management and fire safety teams, as well as the main contractors United Living Group and other trade partners. Also, a big thank you to the residents of Hatfield Close and Gerrard House who have been very patient and understanding during these works”.

Michael Brown, Director, Michael Brown Associates, said: “It has been both a very challenging and rewarding project for everyone involved and the end result is testament to the huge efforts made by several hundred people that have influenced and driven forward this essential fire safety project. One key success in my eyes has been the continuity of staff throughout, which is a credit to the organisations involved, as many of the key people that acted rapidly in June 2017 have stayed engaged and committed to the project objectives for several years”.

Councillor Brenda Dacres, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing Development and Planning, London Borough Lewisham, said: “Our residents’ safety is our top priority, and this project certainly started with fire safety in mind. However, I’m really impressed to see the complete transformation these towers have gone through over the past five years, moving past safety into real quality of life improvements for residents.”