Cladding repair work to begin but will take years

Mike Paternoster said his property was "a lot colder" last winter due to the lack of cladding

Work is expected to start soon on 14 residential blocks in a Surrey town that were covered in combustible cladding, but it could be 2029 before safe permanent fixes are completed.

Critical safety improvements to 250 homes in Lakeview Estate, Woking, are expected to start next spring and last up to 36 months, after the borough council agreed to put the work out for tender.

Surveys carried out after the original cladding was removed found issues with windows, doors and roofing at the council-owned properties.

The wider refurbishment will "improve the condition, appearance and energy efficiency of the buildings", Woking Borough Council (WBC) said.

A planning application has been submitted.

In 2024, the council removed combustible cladding from the blocks and replaced them with temporary covers to maintain weatherproofing and warmth.

As this was only an interim measure with a limited lifespan and without a permanent solution, the buildings would soon "not be fit for human habitation", the council said.

As well as replacing the cladding, other parts the estate are now at or beyond their own design life, so the council has decided to roll all the work into a single project, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Leaseholders will not be charged for the cost of replacing the cladding but will have to contribute to the general maintenance work.

Cladding from the flats was removed in May 2024 due to fire safety concerns

Resident Mike Paternoster has lived on the estate for 28 years.

He told BBC Radio Surrey in May his property was "a lot colder and we had the heating on far more than normal" over the winter due to the missing cladding.

Ian Johnson, portfolio holder for housing at WBC, said: "It's a three year project and effective once we approve the contract to get the work done and get the flats up to proper standard.

"We don't want to charge leaseholders for the cladding work because that, in a sense, is our fault with the way we did the building in the first place."