Sterte Court cladding in hands of administrators

Residents of the two council-flat blocks off Sterte Close are “upset and suffering” after further hold ups to the already delayed cladding replacement work were announced.

The key materials supplier and fabricator of the aluminium cladding panels, H&H Architectural Systems, voluntarily entered insolvency in mid-October before the final five floors of the Sterte Court towers could be re-cladded.

Its insolvency is in the hands of Mazars LLP who are in possession of the company’s assets, including its aluminium panels.

Sterte Court in Poole before re-cladding work

It is understood the remaining custom-made panels for Sterte Court have been finished, however there is no word on when they might be delivered to building contractors United Living.

While residents were told last year the remediation work would take 40 weeks, it has instead lasted well over double that.

A meeting was held last week between residents, members of BCP Council, United Living and Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service.

Cllr Andy Hadley told the Echo: “It’s been a hugely frustrating experience for residents. This rework has taken well over a year so this was an opportunity for them to vent, but it was difficult as we still don’t have the answers yet.

“The real problem is that residents are still having to put up with scaffolding outside their windows which can’t be opened or cleaned.

Poole Town councillor Andy Hadley and BCP Council member for people and homes Cllr Karen Rampton = (Image: BCP Council)

“At the moment the contractor is looking at whether to keep the scaffolding up while they wait to finish the job. If we take scaffolding away the job will be longer because they’ll have to reassemble it when they get the panels.

“But we don’t know when the panels will be delivered so you can see it from all sides. As I understand it, they are sat waiting to be delivered and are in the control of the administrator.

“Ultimately, it’s the people who are living there who are suffering the consequences and are really frustrated.”

Fellow councillor Karen Rampton previously said: “Whilst these circumstances are subject to the current market challenges facing all in the building trade, we remain in regular communication with the administrators to find a way of getting the panels released and in the hands of United Living so that the work can be finished.”

The Daily Echo has approached H&H’s parent company Warley Holdings and liquidator Mazars LLP to comment.