Cladding replacement work delayed 'several years'

Work to replace cladding on flats in a Surrey town may take "several years" to complete.

Lakeview estate residents were told Woking Borough Council would install new insulation on their flats in April after old cladding was removed over fire safety concerns in 2024.

Resident Mike Paternoster told BBC Radio Surrey his property was "a lot colder and we had the heating on far more than normal" over the winter due to the missing cladding.

Ian Johnson, council cabinet member for housing, said the project now involved "a full exterior refurbishment of each block" and "complex projects such as this take time to plan and implement".

"It could take several years for all blocks to be refurbished," he added.

The council removed cladding from the 14 blocks of flats in May 2024.

Residents of the 250 flats have now been told the work to install new cladding is not due to begin until April 2026, but it will involve more extensive renovations.

Temporary insulation was put in place, but Mr Paternoster said it was "not properly finished".

"It looks like something out of a space station at the moment," he added.

Johnson said the previous cladding was removed "to protect people's means of escape in the event of a fire".

"Having had the opportunity to inspect the buildings in more detail, we are now planning to undertake a full exterior refurbishment of each block," he added.

The changes could include new windows and doors. The council says its current plans require planning permission and it is required to consult on the work with around a third of the flats' leaseholder residents.

Mr Paternoster said he was concerned plans to reorganise local government - which would see district and borough councils replaced by new, single-tier local authorities - could delay the work further.

"If the reorganisation goes ahead, will the work actually get done? Because it will be different people in charge," he said.

Johnson said the council was "carrying on as normal for now" and would "make appropriate decisions to support the completion of the refurbishment programme" once the new council structure was decided.