Housing New Developments and Special Projects

The City of London Corporation (City Corporation) will be undertaking surface refurbishment, replacement of waterproofing membrane, remedial works to drainage infrastructure, and landscaping works on the podium, covering the public realm in the vicinity of Ben Jonson House, Breton and Cromwell high walk. 

On the 27 June 2023 the City of London Corporation received planning and listed building consent for the second phase of public realm transformation and landscaping works on the Barbican Estate Podium.  This significant milestone paves the way for an exciting landscaping scheme that will enhance the City Corporation's public realm.

Essential waterproofing and drainage refurbishment will be undertaken on the podium including to the public realm in the vicinity of Ben Jonson Place, Breton House and Cromwell High Walk.

Expansion of Soft Landscaping and Greening: Building upon the success of the award-winning Phase One in Beech Gardens, completed in 2015, the second phase will extend the soft landscape and introduce more green spaces.  This initiative aims to create a green and restorative environment for visitors and residents alike. 

Addition of Children's Play Features and Adult Exercise Areas:  The approved scheme incorporates new children's play features, providing a safe and engaging space for young ones to enjoy.  It will also introduce the first public adult exercise facility in the City of London.  This inclusive amenity will cater to people of all ages and abilities, fostering a sense of community and well-being. 

Biodiversity Enhancement: The project will contribute to the preservation and promotion of local biodiversity.  Water management, microclimate enhancements, and biodiversity preservation will be prioritised to create a harmonious and environmentally conscious public space and create habitats that support a diverse range of flora and fauna. 

Climate Change Resilience: By adhering to the principals outlined in the City Corporation's Climate Action Strategy, the Barbican Podium scheme will create a more climate resilient urban landscape, supporting the achievement of Net Zero, building climate resilience and championing sustainable growth. 

Public Art: The scheme will incorporate public art installations, adding aesthetic value and fostering a vibrant cultural atmosphere. 

Wayfinding and Inclusive Destination City:  A strategy to introduce improved wayfinding elements will enhance navigability, ensuring a seamless and inclusive experience for all visitors to the City of London. 

These exciting developments will be seamlessly integrated into the Corporation's public realm, reinforcing its commitment to creating inviting and accessible spaces for everyone. 

Throughout the process, great care will be taken to honour and conserve the rich essence of the Barbican's heritage enabling enjoyment of the Barbican Estate for future generations. 

The City of London Corporation is excited to embark on this next phase of the Barbican Podium works, bringing its vision of an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable destination to life. 

In February 2023 we installed solar shields and two additional temporary wind sensors similar to those already in situ. 

Data collection began on 10 June 2022, and the collection will continue over a period of 12 months pre-construction and 12 months post construction. Data will be collected using small, lightweight sensors located discretely across the Barbican. 

The data collected will be a vital element of developing evidence-based approaches and evaluating the success of public realm and landscaping interventions for pedestrian comfort and environmental performance. 

The Barbican Podium Projects Team would like to thank you for your insights and feedback which have been extremely valuable during the consultation process.  We look forward to continuing to work with the local community as we move forward.   

Further information can be found on the Barbican Podium Phase Two project website. You can email the team at Barbican Projects or Freephone 0800 772 0475. 

The construction of a school and 66 new social homes.  

The 66 units will consist of 35 one-bedroom flats, 26 two-bedroom flats and five three-bedroom flats.  Completion date is scheduled for July 2023.  

Our contractors ISG are currently on-site undertaking construction works to deliver 66 new social homes. As a local authority, we are committed to smart, safe, and motivated working. This means having a robust plan in place in order to keep moving forward, contribute to the economy, keep our workforce mobilised and ensure we are in the best possible position to deliver for the local community.

We would like to assure you that the team on-site is working tirelessly to ensure the site operations go above and beyond the Government guidelines. All our contractors are aware of the standards they must uphold, and we revisit these daily at on-site briefings.

Construction Activities

Construction activities taking place on the residential building throughout the week include:

• Brickwork to external walls.
• Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) installation.
• Installation of precast concrete to external walls.
• Balustrade works.
• Soffit installation.
• Works using an external mobile elevated working platform.
• Decorations.
• Cleaning.
• Paving on balconies. 
• Soffit works within the undercroft.
• Scaffold adaptions.
• Installation of automatic opening vent doors. 

Major Deliveries

Major deliveries taking place throughout the week include:

• Bricks and mortar.
• Skip exchanges.
• Delivery of paving slabs.
• High level access equipment. 
• Scaffolding delivery and collection. 

Landscape Works

Please be aware that landscaping activities are due to commence on Monday 17 July and are expected to be completed in late August. 

Working Hours 

The consented working hours are: 

• Monday to Friday - 8am to 6pm
• Saturday - 9am to 2pm 

The consented reduced impact hours are:

•  Monday to Friday 10am to 12pm and Saturday 2 to 4pm. 

During reduced impact hours, works will still take place on-site. However, works will not involve percussive machinery or other similar construction involving heavy machinery. 

On-Site Security

• Security guard on-site full time 7am - 6.30pm
• CCTV security cameras are now monitoring the site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The City of London Corporation also has CCTV monitoring of the site in place. 

KEY CONTACTS For site emergencies, please contact:

John Macleod - 07816 337 792

Pui Wong - 07866 988 932

For general enquiries, please email the COLPAI Project Team or call 0800 772 0475

Please visit our COLPAI monitoring data to view monthly monitoring data results. The monitoring data is also available on the site noticeboard.

You can view the progress on site with images from taken from site.

We would encourage everyone to opt in to the digital newsletter by visiting our project website or emailing the COLPAI Project Team to ensure we are able to stay in touch should physical distributions become unsustainable.

The construction of three large three-bedroom family homes for social rent, a community workshop, 23 resident storage units, cycle and buggy storage.

The London Borough of Islington will benefit from nomination rights for one of the three new homes and the remaining two will be socially rented through the City Corporation's housing waiting list.

Borras Construction Limited has successfully been appointed as the principal contractor to undertake the works to construct the three social rented homes that will be located within the curtilage of Isleden House. Completion is anticipated for end of July 2023.

The new flats have been designed to achieve a 19% reduction in regulated C02  emissions compared to compliance with he Building Regulations 2015.  The flats have been designed with high performing triple glazed aluminium windows along with a super insulated structure.  Each dwelling is ventilated through a mechanically ventilated heat recovery unit to limit heat loss in the winter months.  All dwelling achieve and exceed the Nationally Prescribed Space Standards. 

We have held 15 Meet the Contractor events, keeping residents updated on the progress of the development.  

On the 6 June 2023 an opening ceremony, event was held and officially opened by our Chair Ruby Sayed and Deputy Chair Helen Fentimen of Community and Children's Services.   

If you have any queries regarding the development, please email the New Developments Team.

This scheme consisted of the conversion of part of the ground floor of Great Arthur House to provide two new residential units. There are limited opportunities to provide social housing by the City Corporation, especially level access accommodation such as this, within a Grade II listed building. This project has delivered a two bedroom fully adapted flat for an existing applicant on the City Corporation's waiting list with complex needs. The scheme also included a wheelchair accessible one bedroom flat.

The installation of fire suppression sprinklers inside the City Corporation's Tower blocks in Avondale Square Estate's West Point, Centre Point and East Point block, Middlesex Street Estate's Petticoat Tower and Golden Lane's Great Arthur House.

Following discussions with the London Fire Brigade and City Corporation's Fire Advisors, the scope has been upgraded to include the installation of fire alarm systems in Middlesex Street Estate's Petticoat Tower, Avondale Square Estate's West Point, Centre Point and East Point. Great Arthur House already has a fire alarm system.

Each flat's sprinkler heads and pipes will be independent from each other and having block-wide installation will enhance the overall building safety.

Avondale Point Blocks

Works continue to move through the individual flats, with over 90% of the flats in East Point now entered. The works to Centre point have now started with booking of appointments in this block with over 47%. 

There was a temporary stoppage of water across all the Point blocks, this took place in early July, bottles of water were provided to each property during the stoppage. 

A ‘Meet the Contractor’ event was held on the 24 May for the residents on the Point blocks.

Please contact PPCR if you have any questions relating to the Sprinklers Project.

Golden Lane Estate - Great Arthur House

Adjustment to Great Arthur House programme has been scheduled to merge the objectives of this project with the planned fire door and compartmentation project to create one fire safety package project.   Further communications will be shared to households via letter within the coming weeks.  Please contact PPCR if you have any questions relating to the Sprinklers Project.

Middlesex Street - Petticoat Tower

We have now procured a specialist contractor and have in place a proposed new programme suitable for estate management.  A ‘Meet the Contractor’ event will be arranged soon, for further details to be shared with local stakeholders and residents.

Please contact PPCR. if you have any questions relating to the Sprinklers project.

The proposal for the redevelopment of land at the City Corporation's Sydenham Hill Estate consists of two main areas. The first is the demolition and redevelopment of the existing Mais House site and the second is the development of the current Otto Close garages. In total the proposed development will provide 110 new homes for social rent on the Sydenham Hill Estate.

The historic pedestrian entrance and wall on Sydenham Hill, which pre-dates the current buildings, will be retained. The building is positioned to create a clear distinction between the public frontage and the more private communal gardens. Replacing the garages with family homes and improving the safety of the connection between Lammas Green to Kirkdale, completing the street. The proposal to Sydenham Hill will seek to re-establish the historic rhythm of buildings along the street. Providing a contextual response to the existing heritage.

We held the third  'Meet the Contractor' event on Wednesday 28 June 2023 our contractor Lovells and City Corporation Officers were present to answer questions. 

The fifth Community Liaison Group (CLG) was held on the 13 July 2023 at 6.30pm. The CLG would be established as a forum for residents and immediate neighbours of the Sydenham Hill Estate, City Corporation, local councillors, the contractor Lovells and design consultants to discuss all matters relating to the construction at Sydenham Hill. 

Demolition works are now complete on the Mais House site. This includes the foundation removal and site clearance of Otto Close garages.

General Site Working Hours:

• Monday to Friday 8:00 to 18:00
• Saturday 8:00 to 13:00

For site emergencies, please contact Garfield Williams from Lovell on 07721 628 436 or 020 8731 3800 (0800 030 4690 out of hours). 

You can sign up to receive the latest information on the Sydenham Hill Project.  All other information on the development can be found on the Sydenham Hill Project website.  

For general enquires please contact the project team:-

• Email: Sydenham Hill Project.
• Freepost: COMM COMM UK (no stamp required).
• Telephone: 0800 772 0475.

The proposal to develop 91 new net zero carbon homes, all for social rent at York Way Estate, alongside a new combined Community Centre and Estate Office, new waterproofing to the existing podium, new play spaces and extensive greening and landscaping across the whole site.

The scheme was approved unanimously by the London Borough of Islington planning committee on 17 July 2021.

A Landscape Architect has been appointed for approval. BIM Information Manager appointment required.

A Construction Liaison Group meeting was held on the 6 April 2023, the next meeting will be held in September 2023. There will be another Hoarding Art Workshop in August 2023.

A spade in the Ground event was held on the 7 June 2023 where City Corporation Members and Islington Councillors and Officers attended.

Site Progress

Piling works on Block A (see plan under Supporting Information) were postponed due to additional gas main diversion that was required by UKPN and drainage service. This has now been completed.

Block B - piling works were also postponed due to the same works required by UKPN and drainage service. The sprinkler diversion in Block B is ongoing, delayed works are due to a bespoke part requirement. Tree removal I required for haul road.

Block C - diversions and demolition works are complete, reduced level dig for piling mat is underway, drainage diversions are also complete, and the pedestrian path has been reinstated.

Block D – Drainage diversion design has been completed. Pile mat laying is underway.

Higgins’ Senior Resident Liaison Officer, Joan Borzak and local Resident Liaison Officer, Ruzi Bibi Hussain, are located on site in the new Resident Liaison Office, south of Shepherd's House. There is also a respite room for residents to use, when building works are in progress. 

If you have any concerns or questions about the development, please contact the Resident Liaison Team in the Estate Office, Monday to Friday or email them at York Way-Higgins.  or call Joan Borzak on 07793 902 544 or Ruzi Bibi Hussain on 07773 540 602.

Further information on the project can be found on the York Way Estate Construction website. You can email the York Way Construction team or Freephone 0800 772 0475.