On Friday 7 November at 1 pm, Cladding Matters returns with a closer look at what it is really like to live through the long and often exhausting process of remediation.

For many leaseholders, the physical repair work is only part of the story. Behind the scaffolding and safety notices lie months, sometimes years, of disruption, uncertainty and the slow reshaping of what “home” feels like. Few places illustrate this better than Royal Artillery Quays (RAQ) in Woolwich, where large-scale remediation is still underway and residents are continuing to live among the works.

Joining Gareth Wax in the chair will be Hamish McLay and regular contributor Stephen Day, who lives at RAQ and will be giving a live update on what daily life is really like with a building site on his doorstep. From blocked views and constant noise to navigating temporary entrances and altered access routes, Stephen will describe the ongoing challenge of maintaining a sense of normality in an environment that feels anything but.

RAQ has become one of the most recognisable examples of how complex and drawn-out the cladding crisis remains. Work began with optimism that safety standards would soon be restored and peace of mind returned to residents. Yet the day-to-day reality is far more complicated. Even small routines such as receiving deliveries, drying laundry or simply sitting on the balcony are affected by the scale of the construction.

Many residents have faced difficult choices about whether to stay and endure the disruption or to leave temporarily and bear the extra cost. Some have seen service charges rise while facilities remain limited. Others worry about long-term property values or how their homes will be perceived once the work finally ends. For those living there, it is not just about safety compliance but also about the personal toll of prolonged uncertainty.

This week’s discussion will take a human view of remediation, moving beyond policy statements, cost-sharing disputes and political spin. It will explore how people cope when the place that once represented security becomes a site of continual work. The panel will look at how communities adapt, the importance of communication from managing agents and developers, and how residents support one another when official updates are scarce or unclear.

It is easy to imagine that once scaffolding appears, solutions are in progress and relief is near. The truth, as many across the country are discovering, is that remediation often feels like an open-ended process with no clear finish line. Even when progress is visible, delays and design changes can set things back months at a time.

RAQ’s story mirrors that of many other developments still navigating this long journey, buildings caught between regulation and restoration where residents live among cranes and cladding panels, waiting for both safety and normality to return. Through Stephen’s first-hand account and discussion with Gareth and Hamish, Cladding Matters will bring to light what it truly means to live in the middle of a construction zone you call home.

Cladding Matters – Friday 7 November at 1 pm
Live on the Spilling the Proper-Tea YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SpillingTheProper-Tea

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