GHA to pin down safety issues on three estates
RENDER boards on three of Guernsey’s newer social housing estates are being pinned down this winter, after a large section came crashing down during Storm Ciaran last year.
The facing board on the second floor of a GHA property on the corner of the Grand Bouet came down on the morning of the historic storm last November. Checks were carried out on the rest of the Rue Jamouneau and Rue Sarchet estate at that time and no further damage was found.
But now extra precautions are being taken on the estate, which was completed in 2014, as well as nearby Warry’s and Courtil Reveaux, in St Saviour’s.
GHA chief executive Vic Slade said there had been a lot of work taking place over the summer to understand which sites might need work.
‘We are focusing now on the ones we think will need longer-term fixes,’ she said.
‘But we are still trying to work out what is going on with the render boards behind the scenes.’
The association wants to ensure the sites are safe for winter and that render boards are securely fixed.
Ms Slade said the sites were built at different times, but used the same types of boards.
The newly built estates in the Grand Bouet opened in 2014, with 80 homes.
Warry’s, with 20 homes, was finished in 2018, while Courtil Reveaux – nine homes by Les Islets Arsenal in St Saviour’s – was completed in 2019.
Ms Slade said that when the eventual fixing work takes place, it was not expected residents would need to move out, as the render was an external skin. But there could be some noise and disruption.
Breton Construction will be carrying out the securing work. Managing director Brent Green said they were trying to keep disruption to a minimum.
‘The vast majority will be done with cherry pickers, so people may have to move their cars for a few hours,’ he said. Some work in back gardens – estimated to be about 30% – will need scaffolding.
Mr Green said it would take a day to do each house, with more than 100 homes needing the work.
The work will involve using rivets every 60cm on the first floor and above.
‘It will be visible, but it will not be an eyesore,’ he said.
The work will start on Monday and should be finished before Christmas.
Mr Green said that residents would receive letters advising them of the work.
It is not known if any of the sites are still under guarantee from their original construction. Ms Slade said the GHA was trying to understand the issues.
