Tower Hamlets Council has approved an additional £11.3 million in funding to complete essential building safety works at the Maltings and Brewster estate, bringing the total project cost to £22.8 million. The works, which began in 2017, involve the removal and replacement of external wall insulation and structural strengthening.
The additional funding is necessary due to increased material and labour costs, as well as legal challenges and compensation payments to tenants. The Maltings and Brewster buildings had a potentially flammable External Wall Insulation (EWI) material that posed a significant risk of life in the event of a fire.
Furthermore, four elevations at Maltings and Brewster, which don't have any external wall insulation on them. So they are cold. Residents are experiencing cold flats.
The Cabinet, meeting on Friday, March 27, 2026, agreed to continue using Wates Property Services, the existing contractor, to deliver the final phase of the project. This decision aims to ensure continuity and avoid potential litigation risks. The council is seeking to avoid litigation risks associated with two different contractors working on the same site and the same works. There is also a concern that should there be a failure in the works at some future point it might not be clear as to who is the cause of the failure between both contractors. This leaves a significant litigation difficulties and the potential loss of public funds.
Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, stated that the project has been plagued by setbacks. These include government intervention, with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government asking all councils to review buildings constructed with 'Large Panel Systems' to ensure their safety. This review identified serious structural issues with the Brewster and Maltings blocks, leading to a pause in cladding works. The COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of the Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022 have also influenced the project's progression, requiring retrospective compliance and the maintenance of a 'golden thread' of information.
The meeting information mentions legal challenges for restitution and compensation payments to tenants who have experienced loss of space and light and inconvenience over the life of the project.
It also notes that following legal challenge, it is not anticipated that any of these additional costs will be passed on to leaseholders through the s20 billing process.
The final phase, which involves replacing external wall insulation on four elevations, is programmed to take 70 weeks and is anticipated to be completed by Autumn 2027. Stephen Platt, Director of Property and Asset Management, confirmed that a dedicated programme manager will be appointed to oversee the completion of the project, ensuring it proceeds at pace. Further details on the project's progression can be found in the Public reports pack for the Cabinet meeting on 27th March 2026 [https://democracy.towerhamlets.gov.uk/documents/g17272/Public%20reports%20pack%2027th-Mar-2026%2015.00%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10].
