The agent for Wellington House, a seven-storey block of flats on Wellington Street near Swindon train station, wants to remove the material from some external walls.
On behalf of Pinnacle Property Management, the owners, Home From Home Property Management (Swindon) Ltd, also want to remove the cladding from the wooden decking on the roof terrace.
Both would be replaced with non-combustible materials.
Wellington House in Swindon is due to have its cladding removed. (Image: NQ staff)
Previously, residents had raised concerns about the maintenance and safety of the building, which the owners say have been addressed, as well as the cladding.
In July 2024, the company's Swindon branch manager told Adver: “As is the case across the country, cladding replacement is an extremely complex matter, but we are working closely with the government to resolve this matter and ensure that building materials are safe, whilst ensuring that it is not the leaseholders who are funding this work.”
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Swindon Borough Council's website says: “The proposed replacement of the existing timber cladding is a crucial measure to improve the safety of residents in the event of a fire. The design is in line with current fire safety regulations and complies with relevant local planning policies and guidelines.”
“The proposed cladding, decking, fire barriers and support systems have been carefully selected to comply with all regulations.”
The application adds that the removal of the wooden boards is a requirement of the Cladding Safety Scheme, which the government introduced in 2023 following the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017, in which 72 people died and more than 200 were injured when the 24-storey building in west London burst into flames.
The application includes photographs of timber cladding on the sides of the building, on the ground floor, throughout the height of the building and on the walls at the top of the entire structure. There are also pictures of the decking used on the rooftop garden.
The application states: “These elements will be replaced with compliant, fire-resistant, non-combustible materials to ensure the building meets exterior wall and floor construction safety standards.”
Instead, the owners propose installing aluminum decking and replacing wall cladding with non-combustible aluminum or stainless steel curtain roofs and a fire-resistant rock wool cavity fire barrier.
Their application states: “The works will not impact or alter any of the existing access routes to or from the site.
The application was supported by Swindon Borough Council's conservation officer, who was asked to comment as the building is right on the edge of the Swindon Railway Conservation Area and the site is adjacent to the Grade II listed Queens Hotel.
A decision on the application has not yet been made – but is expected by October 31st.
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