Penge and Inkster House

In 2010, a major works refurbishment plan for the York Road Estate was developed by the housing departments Major Works team. These works would have been carried out over the three towers, Chesterton, Inkster and Penge House and the three slab blocks, Pennethorne, Scholey and Holcroft House.

Post the 2011 riots in Clapham Junction, it was decided that the Council would consult on a more ambitious scheme for the York Road and Winstanley Estates and the planned works were put on hold so that the masterplan for the regeneration of York Road and Winstanley Estates could be consulted on.

Refurbishment programme

Inkster and Penge House were not included in this preferred masterplan which was approved by committee in February 2014. In later 2014, the Council agreed to move forward with an Inkster and Penge refurbishment led by the housing departments major works team and Brodie Plant Goddard Associates (BPG). A comprehensive refurbishment programme was subsequently looked at.

This included:

• New Kitchens, bathrooms and windows
• Improved ventilation
• Upgraded insulation
• Winter garden enclosed balconies
• New fenestration (window arrangement)
• Over-cladding
• New properties within a podium structure around the base of the blocks
• Communal interiors upgrades
• New lifts
• Rewire of communal areas and tenanted units

The works were consulted on with residents of the two blocks on a number of occasions in 2016, with the programme getting as far as the 'dummy' Notice of Intention for the cost of works for leaseholders in Inkster and Penge.

Post-Grenfell

Following the tragedy of Grenfell Tower in June 2017, the proposed works were reassessed.

As part of the reassessment works required a reconsideration of appropriate materials to be used for the building in addition to the impact of such changes to the integrity of the building through full structural analysis of the structure of the two towers was undertaken. This took some time due to the need to await the early findings of the Grenfell enquiry. BPG have since reported that, “if any major investment is to be made into the blocks, or, (that) if there is a known intent to keep the blocks for a substantial period of time, the strengthening works should be undertaken. This stands whether or not this is a ‘light touch’ refurbishment or, if more substantial works are being considered to keep the buildings in use for a number of years and is not just if structural interventions are being proposed.”

As the Consultants have advised that should the blocks remain in management in the longer term, strengthening works must be undertaken. They have advised that, “due to their nature and the serious disruption to residents and potential hazards that decanting would have to be undertaken to allow the works to progress.” Moving residents out will take some years to complete. To ensure that the blocks remain structurally sound in the medium term, regular inspections will be made by the major works team. In the longer-term residents will need to move out.

Current works

Current confirmed work that is going to take place at this time is the repair of the existing windows. The Housing departments Major Works and leasehold services team have undertaken consultation these works identifying that the existing windows are in a poor condition and need to comprehensive and systematic repairs at this time.

The Council’s appointed design consultant has drawn up a specification of works for this scheme and the following works are proposed:

Internal works:

• Remove all old redundant/defective restrictors/stays and renew
• Remove all old and defective handles and renew
• Install draught stripping to perimeter of windows pinned to main frame stops
• Replace or repair damaged timber

External works:

• Removal and renewal of planted on bottom frame rail
• Removal and renewal of planted on head and side timbers
• Removal and renewal of external window beading
• Reinforcement of bottom corner joints to each sash with screw fixed stainless steel angles

General works:

• Renew all panes of damaged or broken glass from internal and external sashes.

Moving forward

Since a full decant of residents is required for any refurbishment of the building it is not considered logical to pursue a refurbishment of circa 50-year-old buildings which have been emptied. The benefits of a refurbishment were that the buildings and living conditions of residents could be improved without the need for disruption of having to be moved, as well as it being intended that these works could be undertaken ahead of the main Regeneration scheme demolition and redevelopment.

Residents offer

In January 2020, the Housing and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed that as the residents of Inkster and Penge House could likely be decanted from the towers then the resident commitments offered to residents of the regeneration area who are being asked to move should be extended to residents of the two towers.

Consultations in January 2020, identified to the residents of Penge and Inkster House that there is capacity to move them into the scheme into Blocks 13 and 14 listed in the masterplan. It is estimated residents couldbe moving into these blocks around 2028.

If you are a resident of Inkster and Penge House, you are now able to sell your property back to the Council or are eligible for an early move. If you do choose to move prior to 2028, this would be voluntary and you would either be relocated within our existing housing stock or, if you wanted to, to that of another social landlord within Wandsworth.

Find out more about tenant and leaseholder offers and voluntary early moves.