At 15 storeys, and with 144 homes, Inkerman House in Aston is Birmingham City Council’s largest social housing residence.

Built in the 1960s it needed a significant upgrade to meet modern standards. Wates delivered a two-phase improvement programme: the first focusing on internal upgrades and the second on external refurbishments to improve resident safety. 

Project details 

Phase 1, valued at £9.5m, included new sprinklers, kitchens and bathrooms, LD1 fire alarm systems, new entrance doors for each flat, new electrical heating, new cylinder water tanks, communal redecoration works, new smoke extraction shafts and bin chute renewal. 

Phase 2, valued at £12.5m, began in July 2023 and included insulated flat roof renewal, concrete repairs, EWI and new double-glazed windows, which also includes the removal of old cladding between window panels and the installation of new firebreaks in between the newly installed windows. 

Key project deliverables 

• Resident communication. As with all occupied refurbishments, resident wellbeing was crucial. We kept communication open and honest at all times, seeking to present a realistic view of the work to create confidence and best manage people’s expectations. 

• Dedicated Resident Liaison Officer employed to work with resident communication representative 

• Pre-start surveys to understand and support residents’ needs and vulnerabilities. 

• Residents’ open days to discuss the project, voice concerns and learn about the different products being used. 

• Feedback showed residents were positive about the work being done and felt comfortable granting access for the internal works. 

• Operational logistics. Inkerman House sits above Newtown Shopping Centre, presenting us with complex logistics to manage. Keeping the shopping centre operational throughout the work meant installing a bespoke steel platform around the shopping floors, ensuring scaffolding for the external works didn’t prevent public access to the lower-level shops. 

• Engaging with the fire authority. Dialogue required with West Midlands Fire Authority (WMFA) to assess and scrutinise the fire safety measures and their impact on the building’s integrity. This included three scenario tests with Birmingham City Council and WMFA to ensure that the fire safety measures and the building’s fire safety protocols and procedures were robust.