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Press Release

Camden Council secure government backing for new bid to renovate Chalcots Estate

08/11/05

Camden Council today, Tuesday 8 November, announced that it has secured Government backing for a major renovation of the Chalcots Estate. Cllr Raj Chada, Leader of Camden Council, made the announcement in a letter to tenants and residents of the Chalcots Estate this week.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s (ODPM) approval of £65 million worth of private finance initiative (PFI) borrowing comes after months of behind the scenes lobbying from the council. The news has given new hope that this scheme to renovate the 711 homes on the Chalcots Estate will be able to start next year. The Treasury pulled the plug on the original PFI scheme in February this year despite approval from the ODPM at the time.

Cllr, Raj Chada, said: “This is fantastic news for the residents of the 711 homes on the Chalcots Estate. This gives new hope for a scheme that if it went ahead would completely transform the estate for all the residents. It will include new window, lifts, and lighting and ensure all tenants get modern kitchens and bathrooms.”

“Camden Council has worked hard to show the ODPM that this work is not only vital, but that the scheme will work. Residents have been waiting a long time to see their estate renovated and we will pull out all the stops to give them the quality homes they deserve. There is still a lot to do and I won’t be completely happy until I see work finished on the estate.”

Although the revised scheme does not need Treasury backing, the final details of the scheme need to be agreed by the council’s Executive and the scheme’s contractor, Partners for Improvement in Camden (PFIC). Formal council backing for the new scheme should be agreed by December with final agreement on costs and building plans reached with PFIC before the end of March next year.

The revised PFI scheme will see the renovation of all the blocks on the estate. This will include:

  • New bathrooms and kitchens for all tenants
  • Works to the roofs
  • New cladding to the blocks to protect it from the elements and improve the look of the estate
  • New double glazed windows
  • New lifts (although these will now be funded directly by the council)
  • A 15 year maintenance contract for repairs excluding water and gas supplies with the private contractor


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Camden Council

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