PROJECT PROFILE

Winchester Mews Swiss Cottage, Award-Winning Façade Remediation

INTRODUCTION

Located in Swiss Cottage, North West London, Winchester Mews posed a complex facade remediation challenge. The development’s configuration, combining residential accommodation above an essential community NHS surgery and leisure centre, required carefully planned remediation works while maintaining uninterrupted access for residents, healthcare professionals, patients, and leisure centre users.

WINCHESTER MEWS, SWISS COTTAGE

Project Highlights at a Glance

Client: Barratt Redrow
Location: Swiss Cottage, London NW3.
Sector: Residential and Mixed Use Development.
Project Scope: Facade Remediation and Safety Improvement Works.
Recognition: Barratt Redrow Forward Through Quality Award.

DURATION

32 Weeks

FORWARD THROUGH QUALITY

Client Recognition

UPGRADING FACADE SAFETY IN ONE OF LONDON’S MOST CHALLENGING OCCUPIED ENVIRONMENTS

Appointed by Barratt Redrow, Starfish Construction delivered a comprehensive fire-safety and façade-remediation programme in an occupied environment. Success relied on technical skill, stakeholder management, logistical planning, and resident wellbeing throughout the project.
Through technical expertise, stakeholder engagement, building safety management, access and operational continuity, the project was successfully delivered on schedule and recognised with Barrat Redrow’s Forward Through Quality Award.

Managing a Mixed-Use, Multi-Zone Remediation Programme

As a complex mixed-use development, the remediation works extended across more than 45 individual work zones, each requiring careful planning, access coordination and sequencing to maintain safe progress across the development. The scope of works spanned external garden pods, balconies and terraces, roof areas and rooflights, plant rooms, and perimeter cladding systems, creating a highly complex programme that demanded careful management of multiple work fronts and interfaces.

Operating within a constrained urban environment, our project management teams developed a phased delivery strategy to coordinate access requirements, protect occupied areas and maintain safe routes throughout the programme. This approach enabled works to progress efficiently while minimising disruption to residents, visitors and neighbouring occupiers. The delivery strategy was supported by our Resident and Community Liaison Officer, dedicated site teams and an online resident and stakeholder project hub, which served as a central communication platform for project updates, resident information and stakeholder engagement throughout the remediation programme.

Our Expertise

DESIGNING A SAFE, COMPLIANT AND PRACTICAL BUILDING REMEDIATION STRATEGY

Effective remediation starts by understanding the building, identifying risks, and developing a clear delivery plan. Comprehensive site surveys assessed building condition, access, and logistics. Special care ensured resident safety, the protection of neighbours, and the uninterrupted operation of the leisure centre and NHS surgery.

The early technical planning was essential to ensure the remediation strategy was safe, compliant and suitable for delivery within a live, occupied environment. Structural analyses using performance-based criteria, fire engineering assessments to identify risk points, U-value computations for cladding compliance, product certification reviews, and manufacturer-led technical validation were undertaken to confirm the proposed solutions met fire safety, thermal performance and product warranty requirements.

This collaborative strategy provided the residents, client and stakeholders with the confidence that the project would be delivered safely, practically and in line with the required compliance standards for an occupied building.

ENGINEERING ACCESS ACROSS MORE THAN 45 WORK ZONES

A significant project challenge was establishing safe access to work areas while normal operations continued. Traditional access solutions were unsuitable due to the building layout and the need to protect residents and the neighbouring community. Instead, scaffolding, hoists, and temporary roof walkways enabled safe movement of operatives between work areas.
Additional scaffold structures provided access to remediation zones without impeding pedestrian routes or the occupied areas below. Work was carefully phased for steady progress, maintaining resident access, emergency routes, and operational continuity for the NHS surgery and leisure centre.

Strengthening Community Connections Beyond the Construction Site

Stakeholder and resident engagement at Winchester Mews extended beyond the building project, ensuring a positive working environment. Regular community coffee mornings, organised by the Resident Liaison Officer, provided residents with an informal opportunity to meet project team members, discuss progress, and raise concerns. These sessions encouraged open dialogue and strengthened relationships throughout the programme.
The project team also organised community clean-up initiatives, encouraging residents and local stakeholders to work together in improving the surrounding environment. These activities reinforced Starfish Construction’s commitment to delivering social value alongside technical project outcomes.
By placing people at the centre of delivery, the project created a positive experience for residents during a complex programme of remediation works.

St George's Island Manchester Facade remediation

MAINTAINING SAFETY, ACCESS AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY

One of the most critical challenges involved maintaining emergency escape routes throughout the works. Resident balconies doubled as critical fire escape routes. Sequenced works limited concurrent zone closures. Temporary access decks and fire-rated passageways guaranteed constant egress, with daily inspections confirming compliance with fire strategy standards.
At the same time, site logistics had to be managed within an extremely constrained urban environment with limited space for welfare facilities, storage and material movements.

Through proactive planning, robust health and safety controls and close stakeholder coordination, the project team successfully maintained safe access for residents while ensuring uninterrupted operation of neighbouring facilities.

RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT

Placing Residents at the Centre of Every Decision

Resident engagement defined the Winchester Mews project. The project team engaged with residents early, using presentations to explain the works, schedule, access, and safety measures.
Throughout the programme, residents were kept informed through communications managed by the project team, including:

Dedicated resident and stakeholder portal with updates providing project news and weekly communications coordinated by Starfish Construction.
Project newsletters distributed to all residents.
Resident presentations and coffee mornings hosted by the Resident Liaison Officer.
Direct access for residents to the Starfish Construction project team.
Openness, which built trust, managed expectations, and created positive relationships between residents and the project team.

Quality Recognised by One of the UK’s Leading Housebuilders

FORWARD THROUGH QUALITY AWARD

The exceptional standards achieved at Winchester Mews were formally recognised by Barratt Redrow through its Forward Through Quality Award programme. Presented during Barratt Redrow’s annual Supplier Day, the award celebrates supply chain partners who consistently demonstrate excellence in quality, collaboration, safety and customer service. Kevin McCormack (centre), receiving the Forward Through Quality Award on behalf of Starfish Construction.

For Starfish Construction, the recognition reflected the team’s commitment to delivering high-quality remediation works while maintaining strong relationships with residents, stakeholders and the client team throughout the programme.

The award serves as independent validation of the professionalism, technical expertise and customer-focused approach demonstrated across every stage of the project.

LEAVING A POSITIVE LEGACY

Safer Homes, Stronger Relationships and Award-Winning Results

The Winchester Mews project was completed in accordance with the agreed programme while maintaining the full operation of the residential development, NHS surgery and leisure centre throughout the works. Through careful planning, phased delivery and close stakeholder coordination, the project team successfully delivered the required fire remediation works while enhancing overall building safety and compliance.

A key measure of success was the ability to maintain resident access, emergency escape routes and operational continuity for neighbouring occupiers throughout the programme. This was achieved with minimal disruption, supported by proactive communication, effective site management and a strong focus on resident wellbeing. The project also generated positive feedback from the client, residents and stakeholders, reflecting the collaborative approach adopted throughout delivery.

Most importantly, Winchester Mews now benefits from a safer, more compliant and resilient building envelope, providing long-term reassurance for residents, leaseholders and stakeholders. By addressing the building's façade and fire safety concerns, the project has also helped restore confidence in the development as a residential asset, supporting future saleability, lettability and long-term value.

Robert Morgan, Projects Director for Starfish Construction, commented:

“Winchester Mews required an exceptional level of planning, collaboration and stakeholder engagement. Delivering complex fire remediation works above a fully operational NHS surgery and leisure centre while maintaining resident safety and access demanded commitment from every member of the team. Receiving Barratt Redrow’s Forward Through Quality Award reflects the high standards achieved throughout the project and the positive relationships we built with residents, stakeholders and our client.”

DEMONSTRATING BEST PRACTICE IN OCCUPIED BUILDING REMEDIATION

From early surveys and design development through to resident engagement and final handover, Winchester Mews demonstrates the importance of combining technical expertise with a people-focused delivery strategy.

The project showcases:

Technical excellence through integrated engineering and remediation solutions.
Resident-focused communication and engagement.
Robust health and safety management within occupied environments.
Effective stakeholder collaboration.
Quality-led delivery recognised by industry-leading clients.

For Starfish Construction, Winchester Mews represents more than a successful project. It is an award-winning example of how complex remediation programmes can be delivered safely, efficiently and collaboratively within live occupied environments.
Through technical planning, resident engagement, stakeholder coordination and quality-led delivery, the project has created a safer, more resilient building while restoring confidence for residents, leaseholders, clients and the wider community.

BUILDING ENVELOPE

CLADDING

RESIDENT LIAISON

TECHNICAL SURVEYING

"Projects such as Winchester Mews highlight the importance of combining building safety expertise with a people-focused approach. Working within a fully occupied mixed-use environment presented unique challenges, but through careful planning and close collaboration with our client and stakeholders, we delivered a safer building while achieving a standard of quality recognised by one of the UK's leading housebuilders."

KEVIN MCCORMACK, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT STARFISH CONSTRUCTION

The project showcases Starfish Construction's ability to combine technical excellence, resident engagement and quality-led delivery to achieve outstanding outcomes for clients, stakeholders and communities alike.