Building Safety & Engineering

Background

Which buildings at Stratford Halo are affected?

Sapphire Court, Ruby Court, Opal Court and Amber Court are the parts of the estate now affected. All residents at Sapphire Court have already been moved into temporary accommodation and we are supporting residents from Opal, Ruby and Amber Courts to be relocated.

An assessment has taken place regarding Halo Tower and no health and safety concerns have been identified. Assessments of Warton House have already been undertaken, and due to the differences in construction methods and design, have not identified any risks.  We do not currently anticipate that anyone living in either of these buildings will need to move to temporary accommodation.

Back to top

Our response

Will NHG share the report that led to the decision to relocate residents?

While we have kept residents updated on the progress of investigations and, in the case of Opal and Ruby Court, proposed propping solutions for many months, as well as setting out the reasons why the temporary relocation is necessary, it is not possible for us to share the information provided to us by the structural engineers in full.

We will continue to share as much as we possibly can about the ongoing investigations and the timeframes for these, as we have done by sharing information provided to us by our third-party advisers about the reasons for their advice. We will also set out what this means for any future remediation work and the impact it would have on residents.

Why did safety advice change and why were people asked to relocate with short notice?

We know that moving with such short notice is incredibly distressing and disruptive, and it’s something we would never ask of our residents unless we are given advice that leaves us no other choice. Your safety is our first priority. Wherever possible, we want you to be able to remain in your home – however, when it comes to safety, we have had to make difficult decisions often at short notice.

The structural engineers had, for some months, assured us that their analysis indicated that it was safe for residents to continue to occupy the affected buildings. When we received updated information that it was no longer safe for residents to remain, we had to act to relocate all residents, to keep you safe. We understand that the experience of this from your point of view was very sudden and abrupt.

Why have the structural engineers changed their mind over their safety advice?

Advice is always given based on the information held at the time, and the structural engineers’ understanding of the building and safety issues has changed through the investigation process. In addition to the firm responsible for the original structural design of the estate, NHG has engaged Pell Frischmann as our independent third party advisers who have been assisting us in reviewing the information received.

We are therefore not able to speak to if, when and why engineers may take a different view but this is usually due to the information that they obtain through the course of their investigations or the passage of time, which can impact the risk associated with a decision.

In the interest of your safety, we need to act on information when we get it and so will always review previous decisions in light of updated information received. At Sapphire Court, further investigations were conducted which gave rise to updated information; informed by this and the information we were given at that time, NHG had to take the difficult decision to relocate residents.

Back to top

Technical questions

If you do fix the building, will you be able to do it without having to take apart our flats?

The issues at Sapphire Court are quite extensive and the original structural designers may need to strip the building back to the concrete frame in specific areas to carry out repairs. In areas where work is needed, we expect there  is going to be a lot of disruption to how they look, though those areas would be restored to their previous state as best as possible before residents return.

Is there a clear engineering solution at Sapphire Court or can these issues not realistically be resolved?

It is not going to be easy to fix. There are lots of locations impacted and lots of different issues that need fixing, so those have to be worked through area by area. We are hopeful that the building can be fixed and you can all return home, but your safety is at the forefront, as is ensuring minimal impact on how you occupy the building. It is very complex and at this stage it is impossible to say what the final outcome will be.

If the building structure can only allow a maximum of two people in the building, and no large furniture to be moved, like at Sapphire Court, how can it be safe for anyone?

A risk assessment looks at both the risk being managed and the potential outcome should the worst happen. In this case, while the probability of a building collapse is low, the outcome of that would be unthinkable. As such, access is currently limited to the very minimum while still allowing residents in. If those restrictions can be relaxed in time, we will do so.

Will NHG share further technical details so we can make a better decision on whether to wait or sell?

We will provide residents with as much detail as we can, and we will share information provided to us by our third-party advisers as we have done in the past fortnight, but information from the original structural engineers has been shared with us on a legally privileged basis and so is not something we are able to share at this time. We are really sorry but we are not able to share documents that could prejudice any legal claim we might have to make. We have held sessions on technical building safety matters for residents to learn more about this and ask questions.

Would it be a good idea to empty our flats?

We recommend that you keep valuable items, essential documents, and things which are irreplaceable due to their sentimental or emotional value, with you and we have the chaperone service for those who need to collect any belongings. There is no need to remove large items of furniture. If there is any specific reason why an item of large furniture needs to be moved, then you should speak to your local officer or the team at the resident hub.

If any intrusive investigations or works need to take place in your home in the future, we would work with you to ensure that your belongings are removed and stored safely. We are exploring options to enable the removal of all belongings from your homes to see if this is a viable option.

Back to top

Remediation plan

Amber, Ruby and Opal Court

What are the expected timeframes for work for completion?

Our current understanding is that the required work will take at least a year, but that remains subject to change. This means we are looking at residents returning to their homes from August 2027 at the earliest.

If / when I do return will all work on my home be finished? 

All work will be completed when residents from Amber, Ruby and Opal Court to their buildings. We do need to be clear that there will be ongoing work to other buildings on the Halo estate which will cause some disruption.

Sapphire Court

What are the expected timeframes for work to complete on Sapphire Court?

Unfortunately, we do not yet have a clear timeline for the remediation works at Sapphire Court. Investigations are still ongoing, and due to the complexity of the building, the structural engineers have not yet been able to confirm the full scope of works required or how long they are likely to take.

We understand how frustrating and disappointing this uncertainty is. We cannot say when Sapphire residents will be able to return to their homes, which is why we are now discussing longer-term housing options with you. We know this may be difficult to hear, and we are sorry that we cannot provide more certainty at this stage.

Our priority is to support you in finding a home where you can feel settled, secure and able to plan for the future, while we continue to pursue a clear remediation plan and timetable for Sapphire.

What have you been doing since we moved out of Sapphire Court?

The substantial investigations needed at Sapphire Court to inform a remediation plan have been hampered by the ongoing trigger warnings which have also impacted the chaperone service. This has prevented the structural engineers from accessing the building to complete the required investigations.

The original structural engineers will continue to access when possible and are focussed on the specific areas that need to be investigated to form a long-term plan. This work needs to be done before we have a full picture and a proposal of what a workable fix for Sapphire court looks like and the timeframe for any remediation plan.

Why has the timeline changed?

Regular investigations are continuing, and as these happen the original structural engineers and our third-party advisers learn more about the buildings and how they perform. This means proposals are evolving, and the timelines need to adapt as the plan changes.

We initially gave a timeline looking at the end of the year 2027 for Sapphire Court remediation works to start, but the reality is that we are unable to put any date on it now.

Halo Tower and Warton House

What is the impact on our building to the delay of the remediation work?

There should be minimal direct impact on your building due to the delay, but it will mean that the current situation of a quieter estate, less footfall and car park closures will continue until residents are able to return.

As previously communicated, there is other unrelated building safety work required at Halo Tower and Warton House and we will share more with you on this as soon as we have more information.

Can I move / access buyback?

There is currently no buyback offer for residents in Halo Tower and Warton House.

What is the update on remediation work needed in Halo / Warton?

The structural issues at neighbouring buildings at Stratford are not present in Halo Tower or Warton House. However, as previously communicated there is other unrelated building safety work required at Halo Tower and Warton relating to external walls, glazing and compartmentation. We are working on a plan to do this in a coordinated way and will share more with you on this as soon as we have all the necessary information.

What about the shops and commercial units?

The commercial units will remain closed until remediation work is complete, so we have no firm dates for them opening and do not expect to have them for some time.

We initially gave a timeline looking at the end of the year 2027 for Sapphire Court remediation works to start, but the reality is that we are unable to put any date on it now.

Who will have to sign off the building as safe?

We are working with Pell Frischmann, a third-party structural engineer, who are providing independent oversight for the remediation work. The building is a High-Risk Building as defined by the Building Safety Act, so any remediation proposals will also need to be submitted to the Building Safety Regulator who will provide building control oversight of the plans and the work, and their approval will be obtained once the works are completed. We will be required to demonstrate to the Building Safety Regulator that the building meets all relevant safety standards before you move home.

Back to top