Statement to Council on Victoria Square development by Leader of Council

Statement made by Cllr Ayesha Azad, Leader of Woking Borough Council, at the meeting of Council on Thursday 2 December 2021.

“Members will be aware that Victoria Way had to be closed on 20 October due to three of the exterior cladding panels being dislodged from the hotel development. I would like to apologise to residents and businesses for the inconvenience caused by the road closure at such a busy and critical time of the year. 

“Since that time the contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), has been working with its cladding sub-contractor, Prater, to understand why the cladding failed and what remedial action was needed in both the short and long term. Members of the Victoria Square Oversight Panel received an update this week on the current position.

• The measures taken to close the road are necessary to ensure public safety and SRM continue to liaise with the Council’s Building Control Manager and the Health and Safety Executive on this matter.
• SRM are also working with the Borough Council, the County Council and the Highways Authority to ensure effective traffic management measures are in place.
• In the short term to ensure public safety, Prater, SRM’s sub-contractor , has commenced the installation of additional temporary fixings to over 3,000 panels. This work will continue into January next year. Until this work is complete the road will remain closed.
• SRM is responsible for rectifying this issue under its design and build contract.
• The other parts of the development, including the 429 apartments, over 180,000 sq ft of retail and leisure facilities and 1,500 new car park spaces are not directly affected by this issue and SRM are scheduled to complete most of the remaining development in Spring 2022. 
• With occupation of the residential apartments taking place from March 2022 and 93% of the retail and leisure centre having been let, we expect the town to be bustling in the spring – with a new Marks & Spencer, Boots, Super Bowl, Skechers, Moss Bros and The Gym Group. The retail centre is planned to be open in spring 2022, with Italia Conti opening its headquarters in the town in September.”