LaSalle first to complete re-cladding works on prime Leeds BTR development
LaSalle Investment Management is the first institutional investment landlord in the UK to complete re-cladding at a cost in excess of £6 million.
Waterside Apartments in Leeds, a BTR development, comprising 183 units of 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments available to rent, identified aluminium composite material (ACM) panels from its original construction in 2005, following the nationwide review after the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Working with Leeds City Council (LCC) and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), LaSalle chose to organise works to remove the affected cladding. The remedial works started in 2019 and entailed the removal of all original ACM panels and the combustible insulation material behind, and the removal of the existing panel support system which was not adequate for the replacement cladding.
A supporting framework for new cladding was designed, together with new non-combustible insulation and new solid aluminium, non-combustible, cladding panels. Simultaneous work was also carried out to replace all of the timber decks to balconies on the front and rear of the building with new non-combustible materials, given the direction of travel of building fire safety legislation in the UK.
It was also agreed at an early stage that the re-cladding of the property should be used as a positive opportunity to change its appearance and whilst the new cladding replicated the original in its extent, the replacement panels are a different colour to the originals, giving the building a more contemporary feel.
Nick Hurn, Asset Manager at LaSalle Investment Management, comments, “Our customers’ welfare and wellbeing is paramount, as soon as we found out we needed to re-clad Waterside, we began work immediately and completed within 15 months.
“The re-cladding team, alongside the strong property management team in Savills, were able to bring peace of mind to many people who live there. This customer centric approach has meant customers like Dr Carnie can continue to enjoy living at Waterside.”
DR Bruce Carnie, a Waterside Apartments resident of nine years comments, “Because they (LaSalle) have taken on that cost, we haven’t had to wait to have the work done. Some people have had a terribly anxious time and I’m aware of that, so I do absolutely consider myself very fortunate. I hope that maybe some of the positives that have come out of what’s occurred with this building, that model of action, can be picked up by other apartments.”
Planning approval and Requisite Building Regulations Approval was provided by Leeds City Council.
The re-cladding work commenced in September 2019 and was completed in December 2020. The property manager is Savills. The project manager for the remedial works was MHBC Cumming, the structural engineer Fairhurst, and the main contractor Clegg Construction.
