Hallfield Estate

The Hallfield Estate, owned by Westminster City Council, is one of several modernist housing projects in Bayswater, London designed in the immediate postwar period by the Tecton architecture practice, led by Berthold Lubetkin. Following the dissolution of Tecton, the project was realised by Denys Lasdun and Lindsay Drake in the 1950s. Construction took place in two phases during 1951–55 and 1955–58.

For the council estate in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, see Hallfield.

Hallfield in 2003

The estate is at grid reference TQ260812, south of Bishops Bridge Road in Bayswater. It comprises 15 blocks spread over roughly 17 acres (69,000 m2), a laundry (now used as the local Estate Office), and the Hallfield School, also by Lasdun. Architecturally, the design shares much with similar Tecton projects of the period, including the Priory Green and Spa Green Estates, and the Finsbury Health Centre.

Hallfield was designated a conservation area by Westminster City Council in 1990, and the majority of Estate buildings were listed Grade II in June 2011.

John Penrose, the Minister responsible for the 2011 listing, commented: "These blocks show real flair and beauty, and all the more so considering the post-war era in which they were conceived. Sixty years on, they have become a distinctive part of the London landscape, still looking good and remaining popular with residents and visitors alike."

Hannah Parham, the English Heritage Designation Advisor, responded to the 2011 listing decision by adding: “The estate presents a convincing riposte to criticism that postwar council housing is grey, drab and utilitarian. At Hallfield, the exteriors of each block are treated like works of abstract art – some are patterned with a chequerboard of blue and red brickwork; others have a zigzagging screen of white concrete panels. The estate now exists amongst an elite group of 16 listed post-war housing estates in London – estates that are successful as places to live and are cared for by their residents.”

CityWest Homes controversy

In 2010, a £10 million pound project[1] managed by CityWest Homes[2] – Westminster Councils Arms-length management organisation – commenced to refurbish the estate.

The refurbishment included replacement of 50-year-old windows, as they did not meet the Government's Decent Homes Standard (requiring windows in blocks over six storeys to be replaced after 30 years).[3] However, during 2012 and early in 2013 problems, arose in the project.[4] Hallfield resident Edward Newnham, said it's "blind leading the blind. It's just a mockery."[1] Resident James Killeen, said: "The problem is with CityWest Homes. They were the managers of the thing and they should have been clearer."[1]

On 30 December 2013, after reading a confidential report written by CityWest Homes chief executive officer Nick Barton,[1] Westminster City Council and contractor Essex-based Mulalley[5] reached a compromise agreement to end the contract.[6] Following the controversy, Hallfield estate leaseholders considered taking legal action against CityWest Homes.[7]

gollark: That's... not entirely false, though?
gollark: But not all fields have this or make it conventional to use it.
gollark: You can just use ArXiv if you're in CS/maths/physics.
gollark: Surely if you're pumping the iron it must be a fluid, and thus a liquid (or if you're really adventurous, gas).
gollark: You probably should. According to at least 2 things I looked at on the internet, it's important for health.

References
  1. McLennan, William; Edwards, Patrick (9 January 2014). "City Hall's scrapping of £10m estate refurbishment 'a mockery'". West End Extra. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  2. "West area major works". CityWest Homes. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  3. "A Decent Home: Definition and guidance for implementation" (PDF). Department for Communities & Local Government. June 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  4. Dimoldenberg, Paul (3 January 2014). "Hallfield Estate repairs fiasco". Westminster Labour Party. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  5. Wilson, Robyn (7 January 2014). "Westminster terminates Mulalley Hallfield refurb deal". Construction News. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  6. Brown, Carl (7 January 2014). "Hallfield estate refurbishment contract terminated". Inside Housing. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  7. Loeb, Josh (3 February 2012). "Hallfield leaseholders may take legal action against CityWest Homes". West End Extra. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  • John Allan & Morley von Sternberg, Berthold Lubetkin (Merrell, 2002)
  • John Allan, Lubetkin: Architecture and the Tradition of Progress (RIBA 1992)
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