Finally PFI Approved
June 2006

The Chalcots Estate, Camden, designed by Dennis Lennon and Partners and built in 1965-70 has recently been granted PFI approval after almost seven years of consultation with Government. With an injection of £65 million from central Government this £100 million plus well documented PFI renovation project, was one of the first to be put forward under the new PFI scheme back in 1999. Included in the new scheme will be a complete overcladding of the five tower blocks which will be supplied by UK overcladding specialist CEP Architectural Facades. Designed by HTA Architects, the revised and now approved PFI scheme, will compliment the original architects designs which graces the North London skyline.

The existing roofs, cladding and windows have failed after 30 years and this overcladding element of the renovation will be first to be completed before internal finishes and services can be installed.

The overcladding sub-contract awarded to CEP, will be the largest single project entered into by CEP Architectural Facades. Materials supplied by CEP Facades include 4 800 dual colour, top hung, Schuco composite windows, which is equivalent to 17 870 square metres of glazing and 28 000 square meters of rainscreen overcladding. CEP's direct Fixed 'ACM' has been specified for the rainscreen panel which is fixed onto CEP's aluminium support system and includes integrated horizontal and vertical fire barriers.

The main contract has been awarded to Rydon Construction. The scheme will begin on site later this year and will prove to be one of the largest overcladding projects of its kind in the UK.