GHA STARTS £83 MILLION OF OVER CLADDING WORKS

Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) is about to embark on its next major stage of home improvement works to deliver warm, dry homes to thousands of tenants – overcladding multi storey flats at a cost of £83 million.GHA’s first overcladding of a multi-storey block is about to take place at Curle Street in Yoker and is expected to take around eight months to complete.

Overcladding not only improves the appearance of the building but also provides extra insulation, which in turn helps cut residents’ heating bills.

The over cladding programme will target a total of 55 high rise blocks and 41 mini-multis (eight storey buildings) across the city within the next four years.
The high-rise blocks benefiting from the programme include 18 in the south of the city, (covering Gorbals, Pollokshaws, Mosspark and Cardonald), 12 in the north and east (covering Sandyhills and Springburn) and 25 in the west (covering Townhead and Knightswood). A further 30 mini-multis are being targeted in the south (covering Craigden, Cardonald, Hillpark and Pollokshields) and 11 in the west (covering Knightswood and Balmore)

The work in Yoker is costing around £1.3 million. Preparation work at the multi-storey block there, which houses 120 properties started in July 2006 and mast climbers have now been erected. The actual overcladding work begins in mid October and is expected to be complete in April next year. In addition, the installation of new double-glazed windows and a new roof is underway at the moment. Residents will also benefit from new roof safety lighting and perimeter lighting, the renewal of entrance canopies and the provision of replacement communal television aerial system. Further site starts are imminent as part of the overcladding programme and will continue in the Sandyhills area, which is costing GHA around £3.8 million. Mast climbers will be erected there from 11th September onwards with the actual over cladding work expected to begin a few weeks later.

GHA’s Director of Investment and Regeneration, David Hastings said: “GHA made a promise to tenants at the time of stock transfer that we would provide warm, dry homes and the major overcladding work now getting underway will ensure that’s what they get. “This major programme of works is costing GHA £83 million and will dramatically change the face of many high rise blocks and mini-multis in the city over the next four years.

“This level of investment demonstrates to tenants living in those properties that GHA does invest in multi-storey blocks and we believe many do have a long-term future.”

Beth Willis-New is the tenant Chairperson of Whiteinch & Scotstoun Housing Association Local Housing Organisation (LHO). She explained: "We have been working at Whiteinch LHO for some time now to bring the GHA investment programme to the area for the benefit of local tenants and we are pleased that not only have some works already been done or are now underway, but more are being planned and worked up.

“Included in this is the project at 64 Curle Street which should see a variety of benefits for residents of the block. Tenants have complained in the past about the inadequacy of the steel-framed and single-glazed windows, which led to heating and condensation problems. So not only is this being remedied with the installation of new double-glazed windows but the overcladding system will also improve thermal insulation, making flats easier and cheaper to heat. “We also believe that the whole look of the property will be greatly enhanced and, to top it all off, we are currently discussing a lighting project for the top of the building to create an attractive impression during the hours of darkness!"

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NOTES TO EDITORS:

CONTACT:
Jaelithe Leigh-Brown
Press Officer
Glasgow Housing Association
Tel. 0141 274 5708
email: jaelithe.leigh-brown@gha.org.uk