Questions & Answers

Who is bringing forward the proposals?

Airspace Group is working in partnership with the freeholder of Wimbledon Close to prepare a planning application for the development. We will work closely with residents to ensure the proposals deliver the appropriate benefits to the building. It is our objective that this development is a win:win for all stakeholders.

What benefits will the project deliver for the building?

The development will deliver a whole raft of direct and indirect benefits, including new lifts, new better insulated and waterproofed roofs and other benefits. The new apartments will contribute to the service charge on a pro-rata basis, helping reduce the overall service charge costs per flat.

Will there be an impact on property values?

This is a subjective point and one we would encourage residents to do their own research on, but our experience on previous projects has been that the investment in the common parts, lifts and landscaping that the development has facilitated has the potential to increase property values by around 5-10%.

Will a surveyor be appointed to act in the interests of leaseholders once planning consent is granted and an on-site start date known?

Yes, a surveyor will be appointed to act on behalf of leaseholders. The cost of the surveyor will be borne by the developer. It will be the surveyor’s job to ensure the development is delivered in accordance with the planning consent, building regulations, health and safety regulations and Development Lease granted by the freeholder.

What will be the impact on our service charges?

The new apartments will contribute to the service charge on a pro-rata basis, helping reduce the overall service charge costs per flat. It is anticipated that each existing leaseholder will benefit from a reduction in service charge of 7.5%. Any reduction in energy costs as a result of the proposal will reduce service charges further.

Will apartments in the building be affected by the development?

There will be no negative impact on the existing apartments. The new apartments will be separated in terms of services and therefore will not impact on the existing services.

Should our plans be approved, we will of course continue to work with residents so that they are fully informed of any works that will take place to ensure any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum. We take resident liaison very seriously and would ensure there is an ongoing dialogue with residents.

How will services such as water, heating and waste be affected by the proposed new apartments ?

Noise Transfer

The new apartments will sit on a separate structure with a void between the existing roof and the new apartments, so noise transfer to flats below will not be an issue.

Heating

The new apartments will not connect into the existing communal heating system. The new apartments will be heated by individual energy efficient heat pumps located in noise reducing enclosures at roof level.

Cold Water

The existing cold water tanks on the roof will be removed and the building will be connected to the mains water supply. This provides the opportunity for increased cold water pressure to all existing apartments.

Hot Water

The new apartments will not connect into the existing communal hot water system. Hot water will be provided by the dedicated heat pumps with an immersion heater back-up.

Drainage

A drainage survey will confirm that there is sufficient capacity to accommodate the extra apartments.

Will there be a lot of disruption?

The works will be undertaken quietly with minimal disturbance. The only major disruption will be the upgrade works to the lifts.

How long will the development take?

There is a period of detailed design following planning consent but once works start on site we anticipate approximately 12 months.

Will the lifts be out of order?

Yes, in order to extend and upgrade the lifts, each lift will need to be out of order for a period of around 4 to 6 weeks. The good news is that the lift works will mean that there will be no need for costly upgrade works or lift maintenance for some time afterwards, minimising future disruption to lift service.

We are concerned about the risk to the building during the on-site works and after practical completion. We don’t want to incur any costs. How are Leaseholders covered?

Leaseholders will not have to pay for any remedial work to the building resulting from any damage during the construction phase or after the project is finished.

The existing structure will be rigorously assessed beforehand to ensure the existing building can take the additional load and a survey of condition will be undertaken prior to works commencing on site. Moreover we will have full ‘contractors all risk insurance’ and professional indemnity cover. The entire professional team including the structural engineer and Mechanical & Electrical engineer will also have the requisite collateral warranties and professional indemnity cover. Once the development is finished it will be signed off by a building regulation surveyor and a building warranty policy will commence.

It is our responsibility to rectify any issues within the new apartments after they have been completed.

Can our property take the additional weight of the new structure?

This is a fundamental consideration and one we assess at an early stage. We only undertake projects where the structural integrity has been confirmed by an experienced and suitably qualified structural engineer. A report has been produced by a Structural Engineer to assess the building’s capacity for additional loading, and this confirms that Wimbledon Close is capable of supporting an extra floor.

What will be the impact on neighbouring buildings?

As part of the planning application, we will submit a technical study which demonstrates that neighbouring buildings do not experience a noticeable loss of sunlight or daylight as a result of the proposals. The new apartments have been designed to minimise impact. Moreover, the design has given due regard to minimising glazing where possible to avoid any unwanted light-spill.

Will the heritage value of the building be harmed?

We are taking every care to ensure that the proposals enhance rather than harm the character of Wimbledon Close. We believe that the proposed design is sensitive to the existing building’s heritage and celebrates many of the design details implemented by the original architect.

Will the new apartments be good quality?

The new apartments are being developed for private sale and will be of the highest quality. The apartments will meet all current building control and fire regulations and will receive a third-party warranty from a recognised industry provider. The new apartments will exceed current building regulations in terms of energy efficiency and CO2 emissions, meaning that they will have excellent sustainability credentials and will be operationally net zero carbon.

Where’s the catch: what do I pay?

There is no catch. We take the financial risk and undertake all of the work from conception to completion. There will be no cost implications for residents during or after the works.

Will there be any further opportunities to engage with the proposals and developer before the planning application is submitted?

We plan to do a final round of engagement before submission. This will allow for us to respond to feedback we receive as a result of this consultation process.

We have water ingress issues with our existing roofs, how will the proposals effect this?

The proposals will see the existing roof covering replaced and recovered with a brand new waterproof membrane before the new penthouse units arrive and assume the role of the new roof. The new penthouses will have modern drainage and ensure there will be no further water ingress issues for the existing flats.

How will the proposals impact Wimbledon Close’s carbon footprint?

The new penthouse units and associated works to Wimbledon Close will ensure the building’s long term carbon footprint is reduced significantly. This will predominantly be achieved by the new better insulated roof covering, helping minimise heat loss. The proposed green roofs will consume CO2 and emit oxygen. The photovoltaic panels will generate electricity throughout the year but especially in the summer months. This energy will be sold back to the grid and help reduce the cost of lighting the common parts on every floor, for the benefit of residents.

How much will the long term building improvements save leaseholders if they paid for these works themselves out of the sinking fund?

The total investment by the developer in the wider upgrades to Wimbledon Close will ensure that leaseholders are able to save more of their sinking fund that might otherwise be spent on new roofs, new lifts, maintenance etc. over the coming years.

What will be the impact on fire safety ?

Fire safety is a key concern of the project and the developer will be working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the design process, along with London Fire Brigade and Building Control to ensure the building is significantly safer than it currently is. The fire safety upgrades the developer will fund will include new dry riders, automatic opening vents (AOVs), cross-corridor doors, lighting, signage and sprinklers in the new apartments.

How will our refuse collection area be affected ?

It is proposed that the existing bins will be re-housed in a dedicated enclosure.

Some residents are concerned with security, how will this be improved?

A video intercom system will be provided.

Will the new development prevent 5G masts being installed?

We believe it will. The planning application for new residential apartments will take precedent over any application for the 5G masts. In addition, the incorporation of solar panels on the new apartments and the roof garden will make it much more unlikely that future telecoms mast applications will come forward.