Cladding Remediation – St George’s Island, Manchester - Case Study

Project:

Cladding Remediation

Location:

St George’s Island, Manchester

In Brief:

Following completion of a major, highly complex cladding remediation project that began in 2020, we are proud to have delivered the project ahead of schedule, under budget, and to have secured the highest EWS1 rating.

A beacon of contemporary architecture

St George’s Island in Castlefield, Manchester, is a major five-tower residential development, originally completed in 2010. Beautifully clad in timber, the towers stood as a beacon of contemporary residential architecture. However, the post-Grenfell industry response and changes in the regulatory landscape presented financial and legal challenges for our client.

A proactive approach

St George’s Island’s Board of Directors were proactive in their assessment of the buildings, recognising the risks posed by the combustible material in their external walls. In 2020, through a recommendation, the board approached our Manchester office and asked the team to carry out an EWS1 and external cladding survey.

As an independent consultancy with every property lifecycle specialism in-house, we were ideally positioned to take on a project of this scale and importance.

Our cladding survey identified combustible materials and missing cavity barriers across the five towers. After submitting our reports, we were delighted to be instructed to provide multidisciplinary services for the entire remediation programme – a significant undertaking.

Fully integrated – and funded

As an independent consultancy with every property lifecycle specialism in-house, we were ideally positioned to take on a project of this scale and importance. First, we oversaw the tender process during Covid – a challenging time for construction across the UK. Significantly, we then went on to secure the full £39.25m: one of the largest-ever funding awards from the UK government’s building saftey fund.

Securing full funding and achieving the highest EWS1 rating, ahead of schedule and under budget – it’s an incredibly proud moment.”

An unprecedented success story

With funding in place and contracts signed, works commenced in November 2022. The scale of the project, diverse stakeholders and legislative changes meant that every day demanded commitment, integrity, and strong leadership.

Now, nearly three years since work began and five years after the first EWS1 survey, we are delighted to have overseen the successful completion of the project to an exceptionally high standard.

Key outcomes:

• Five acres of cladding safely replaced
• A1 EWS1 achieved – the highest rating
• Completed ahead of schedule and under budget
• 64% of project waste recycled
• 100% project funding secured

Easton Bevins surveyor Harvey Cross, who oversaw the project, said; “Securing full funding and achieving the highest EWS1 rating, ahead of schedule and under budget – it’s an incredibly proud moment.”

While we take a moment to reflect on and celebrate this remarkable achievement, our focus now turns to supporting our client through monitoring the remediation of the building’s internal compartmentation.

To find out more about our multidisciplinary in-house expertise or to discuss cladding remediation, call 0117 942 8787 or email info@eastonbevins.co.uk

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