The Department of Social Care has today sought to alleviate fears raised in the past few days concerning problems of dampness in Willaston Estate, Douglas.
 
The Willaston Estate consists of over 700 public sector dwellings built some 60 years ago. Douglas Borough Council has for a number of years raised concerns about the deteriorating external fabric of many of the properties within the estate and in 2008 and 2009 carried out condition surveys of the properties which identified significant and extensive defects including:
•         Perished bricks, mortar pointing, flaunching and defective leadwork on chimney stacks.
•         Loose, missing and dislodged tiles as well as corroded nail fixings.
•         Inadequate cross ventilation to the roof spaces.
•         Extensively cracked on external render of many of the properties.
•         Corrosion of metal wall ties.
•         Corrosion of steel reinforcement to many lintels and cills, causing the face of the concrete to spall.
•         Rubble within the base of some external wall cavities causing dampness to the inner leaf.
 
These surveys confirmed the Borough Council’s view that the external fabric of some houses is failing to keep them weather tight and that their condition is worsening year by year. The Department of Social Care supports the Borough Council’s view that a major programme of refurbishment of the roofs and external walls is required for Willaston estate and has been working with the Borough Council for the past few years to establish this within the capital programme.
 
The Minister for Social Care Hon Chris Robertshaw MHK said:
“My Department has consistently supported Douglas Borough Council in identifying the most appropriate and sustainable way of addressing the deterioration in the fabric of the housing in Willaston. It is unfortunate that recent public statements have not reflected the significant progress that has been made. This refurbishment project has not been brought about because of the installation of cavity wall insulation but because the external fabric has reached the end of its effective life.”
 
The Department received a petition from Douglas Borough Council earlier this week to allow them to borrow a total of £333,057 to undertake an external refurbishment pilot scheme of 6 dwellings. This capital cost will be funded by the Department of Social Care and not by Douglas rate payers. The pilot scheme will help determine the best strategy for the remainder of the estate. The work will involve renewal of the roof coverings, fascias, soffits and rainwater goods as well as reconstruction of the outer leaf of the external walls. The houses will, in effect, be given a new outer covering to the same standard as new housing. Works are due to commence next month and should be completed by next April.