Pick Everard has secured Building Assessment Certificates for two high-rise apartment buildings
Building structural and fire safety assurance has been secured for the two buildings.
The certificates have come after the two buildings required significant work, in line with regulatory requirements following the Grenfell inquiry.
The work included several fire safety aspects
The buildings have both seen new cladding, insulation, fire compartmentation, fire alarms, and sprinklers installed.
Pick Everard was given the job of completing the works on nine residential blocks as the principal designer by Pendleton Together Operating Ltd (PTOL), the manager of the buildings. They carried out structural surveys, supporting the Building Safety Case, resulting in two of the blocks (Spruce Court and Thorn Court) meeting legal requirements.
Work is now continuing on the other seven buildings, and it is expected that the full remediation project will be complete in spring this year.
“The project sits within the transition period for adopting the Building Safety Act 2022, with our team working to ensure services aligned to the requirements of the developing legislation and associated regulatory requirements.
“Collaboration remained a key element of this project and involved liaising with a complex network of stakeholders, including PTOL, the construction management team, contractors, neighbourhood management team, Salford City Council and Together Housing.
“Fire safety is, understandably, a matter of significant sensitivity, and the development and maintenance of strong stakeholder relationships was critical to providing reassurance to everybody involved in the scheme and the residents.”
The Grenfell Inquiry has changed many regulations
The effects of the Grenfell disaster on building safety primarily manifest in the Building Safety Act 2022, which outlines a new regulatory framework to overhaul safety in the construction of buildings, especially high-rise buildings.
The tragedy of Grenfell Tower in 2017 exposed deep systemic failures in building safety culture, oversight, and accountability. The ensuing public inquiry laid bare the fragmented nature of regulation—where responsibilities were diffuse, data was incomplete, and oversight bodies were reactive rather than preventative.
In response, the government commissioned the Hackitt Review (2018), which called for a “radical rethink” of the entire system. The Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022 enacts that rethink, aiming to deliver a new safety regime grounded in transparency, accountability, and competence.
The key objectives of the Building Safety Act include:
- Establishing clear dutyholders with legally enforceable roles.
- Introducing the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), housed within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), to oversee compliance and enforce standards.
- Mandating competency frameworks for designers, contractors, and building control professionals.
- Strengthening resident engagement and information transparency.
- Embedding a “golden thread” of information, ensuring safety-critical data is maintained and accessible throughout a building’s lifecycle.
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