Podium Phase 2 works: FOI request for drainage strategy

I submitted a Freedom of Information request on 9 March asking what analysis and planning had been undertaken over the years in relation to estate-wide drainage across the Barbican podium.

I received the response today. In short, the answer is: very little.

The City confirms that there is no estate-wide drainage strategy, no system-wide modelling, and no meaningful record of drainage maintenance.

The response is, in my view, quite revealing.

Below is a short summary of the key points arising.

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Summary

The proposed Phase 2 podium works are being presented as a solution to long-standing drainage issues on the Barbican highwalks. However, information disclosed by the City of London under the Freedom of Information Act, together with earlier project documentation, raises serious questions about whether the underlying drainage problems are being addressed in a systematic and effective way.

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Key Findings

1. No estate-wide drainage strategy or modelling
The City has confirmed that:

• no estate-wide hydraulic modelling of the podium drainage system has been undertaken
• no comprehensive estate-wide drainage strategy exists

Drainage is therefore not being managed as a coherent system, despite persistent issues across the estate.

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2. No maintenance records for drainage infrastructure
The City has stated that:

• no records are held for drainage maintenance, blockages, or clearance over the past five years

This makes it difficult to assess:

• whether drainage problems are due to design or maintenance
• whether proposed works will lead to measurable improvement

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3. Phase 1 explicitly excluded drainage
A post-project technical review of earlier works states:

“This was a waterproofing project only… it would have been desirable to include podium drainage as well.”

Despite this acknowledged limitation, similar issues (ponding, blocked drains, surface deterioration) are already visible in the refurbished western highwalk.

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4. Investigations are local, not system-wide
Recent technical work has focused on:

• local leak investigations (e.g. Beech Gardens)
• thermographic and radar surveys
• structural movement monitoring

These are targeted diagnostics, not a comprehensive assessment of the drainage network across the estate.

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5. Works are being delivered on a phased, project-by-project basis
The City confirms that podium works have been developed:

• on a phased basis
• informed by local condition and individual project approvals

There is no evidence of a coordinated, estate-wide approach to drainage infrastructure.

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Implications

• The root cause of drainage issues appears to be systemic rather than localised
• Addressing drainage only within the Phase 2 footprint risks repeating the shortcomings of Phase 1
• Without modelling, strategy, or maintenance data, it is unclear how improved drainage performance can be assured

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Key Question

What estate-wide analysis has been undertaken to demonstrate that Phase 2 will resolve drainage issues at a system level, rather than simply within the project boundary?

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Conclusion

There is a clear risk that Phase 2 prioritises surface renewal and capital works over addressing the underlying drainage system across the Barbican Estate. A more effective approach would be:

• an estate-wide drainage assessment
• a coordinated maintenance and repair programme
• targeted surface works where required

Until such a strategy is in place, confidence in the long-term effectiveness of the proposed works is necessarily limited.

BEO enthusiasm for the Podium - Phase 2 works

The Barbican Estate Office is presenting Phase 2 as a major step forward for the podium. I am not persuaded. The real problem on the highwalks is drainage: drains that do not work properly and are not adequately maintained. Yet the proposed works are being promoted as though they will greatly improve conditions on the highwalks. That claim deserves scepticism.

We were told similar things around Phase 1, yet the western highwalk already shows puddles, blocked drains, staining and broken tiles. In practice, the result has been years of disruption followed by an area that looks little better and still suffers from the same underlying defects.

A more sensible approach would be an estate-wide programme of drain repair and maintenance, with local surface repairs where necessary, rather than another costly and disruptive capital project that risks treating the symptoms while leaving the cause in place.

From the BEO:
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Barbican Podium - Phase 2

Dear Residents,

We are very pleased to confirm the Barbican Podium Phase 2 Project has now received approval for funding at the latest Court of Common Council meeitng. This important milestone means the project can now move into the next stage, where a contractor will be formally appointed to carry out the works.

Over the course of this year, we will focus on discharging the necessary pre-planning conditions required before construction can begin. One of the key early activities will be the removal of the Yellow Link Building, currently planned for this summer. In parallel, the project team will work to resolve the remaining contractual and technical matters, with the aim of achieving a Spring 2027 start on site.

As the programme moves into delivery, responsibility for the project will transition to a combined leadership between the Barbican Estate Office (Dan Sanders) and the Barbican Centre (Philippa Simpson), reflecting the significant impact the works will have across both the residential estate and the wider Barbican Renewal programme. This joint approach will help ensure that the needs of residents, the cultural centre, and the estate are considered throughout the project, and that all activity and design is fully coordinated.

This is a very exciting moment for the Barbican. The podium refurbishment represents a once-in-a-generation investment in the long-term future of the estate, helping to protect and enhance one of London's most iconic environments. We are committed to working openly and collaboratively with resident groups across the estate, ensuring clear communication and engagement as the project develops and construction approaches.

A core element of the works is the comprehensive upgrade of the podium drainage system. Addressing long-standing issues with water pooling across the podium is a major priority of the project. The scheme will also incorporate the drainage improvements originally intended as part of Phase 1 podium works but not delivered at that time, ensuring a more robust and resilient drainage network for the future.

Beyond resolving these technical issues, the project will deliver a range of wider benefits for residents and visitors. These include:

Improved drainage and waterproofing, protecting the buildings and facilities located beneath the podium structure and ending the water pooling following rainfall.

Enhanced landscaping and planting, supporting biodiversity and contributing to a greener, more climate-resilient estate.

Long-term protection of the Barbican's heritage, through sensitive refurbishment that respects the estate's Grade II listed status.

Better accessibility and legibility of the podium, making routes and spaces clearer and easier to navigate.

Integration with the wider Barbican Renewal programme, helping to secure the future of the Barbican as a world-leading cultural and residential destination for the next 50 years.

Taken together, these improvements will help ensure that the Barbican podium remains a welcoming, resilient, and vibrant place for residents, visitors, and nature, while safeguarding the estate's unique architectural character for generations to come.

We look forward to continuing to work with residents and stakeholders as the project progresses.

BA AGM - 2026-04-09 @ 18:30

Notice of the Barbican Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held on the evening of Thursday 9th April 2026 at 18:30.

From the BA:
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Notice is hereby given of:
THE BARBICAN ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2026

When: Thursday 9 April 2026, 6.30pm - 9.00pm

Where: City of London School for Girls, St. Giles' Terrace, London EC2Y 8BB
AGENDA

1. Spike - Barbican App

2. Update on the BA's work during the year

3. Members' issues

4. Treasurer's report

5. Election of: Treasurer, Honorary auditor, and Nine General Council members

6. Any other business

Folowed by wine and soft drinks.

The BA General Council is the main decision-making body of the Association; it consists of nine members and the honorary treasurer, elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), along with representatives of affiliated house groups. The General Council meets quarterly. At the AGM existing council members stand down; if there are more than nine candidates for election, a secret ballot is held at the meeting, and the results are declared at the meeting.

Both the honorary treasurer and auditor (the latter is not a member of the General Council) are elected at the AGM. Other officers are appointed by the members of the General Council at its first meeting following the AGM, which will be held on Thursday 16th April.

Please send details of any issues you would like discussed at the AGM to Dr David Preston (secretary@barbicanassociation.co.uk).

Written nominations for the elected positions must be submitted to Dr David Preston, 91 Breton House EC2Y 8PQ (secretary@barbicanassociation.co.uk) no later than Tuesday 07 April 2026. Candidates must be proposed and seconded, and the candidate must indicate that he or she is willing to stand. The Elected Member application form can be found on the BA website at the link below.

Notification of representatives of affiliated house groups should reach the honorary secretary by Tuesday 07 April 2026.

Please bring your membership card to help speed admittance. Admission is to paid-up members only. Membership is available on the door (£5).

90 Week Highwalk Resurfacing Project - More plans

 The City recently published two documents regarding the proposed 90 week project to strip back the eastern highwalk and relay it.  This is "phase 2" of the resurfacing work.  You can see the rather disappointing results of phase 1 as you walk towards the Barbican tube station, noting the blocked drains, cracked tiles and blocked direct route to the bridge (while they try to fix up something they missed in phase 1, no doubt).

The two documents are:

• A protective measures plan
• A construction traffic plan

The wider issue of fixing the drains across the estate gets scant mention.  Rather, the focus is on the superficial works which, if you see the images in the document, will make the highwalk look lovely.  I recall similar documents for phase 1, and look at what we got.

To be fair I will note that the City does claim that they will apply a waterproof membrane beneath the new surfaces.  The problem is that a waterproof membrane without working drainage give you ponds, just as we see with the phase 1 work.

Anyway, I have written a letter to our councilors:

Dear [Councillors],

I note that the City is proceeding with Phase 2 of the podium works.

My concern is not that drainage works are absent, they are referenced in the documentation, but that they are:
1. Embedded within a much larger strip-back and landscaping project, and
2. Limited to the specific Phase 2 footprint rather than forming part of a coherent, estate-wide drainage strategy.

Drainage performance appears to be the fundamental issue affecting the highwalks (and indeed the structure of the Barbican!). Persistent ponding, blocked gullies and tile deterioration, including on the recently relaid western end, suggest systemic drainage shortcomings rather than isolated surface failures.

Blending drainage remediation into a predominantly surface-led scheme risks obscuring whether the underlying infrastructure is genuinely being resolved.

Before committing to 99 weeks of disruption, it would seem logical to:
- Publish a clear estate-wide drainage assessment,
- Confirm whether the wider podium drainage network has been surveyed in full,
- Explain why drainage is not being addressed comprehensively across the estate before further surface strip-back works proceed.

Without that clarity, this risks becoming a repeating cycle of surface renewal without structural resolution.

I would be grateful if you could seek a clear explanation from officers on how Phase 2 fits within a broader infrastructure strategy for the Barbican podium, in particular with respect to drainage.

Lease Length and the 80-Year Threshold

From the BEO:


---------- Forwarded message ---------

Dear Leaseholders,
 

I hope you are well and that 2026 has begun positively.

I am writing to Barbican leaseholders to draw attention to an important matter concerning lease length and statutory lease extensions. This information will be most relevant to leaseholders who have not yet extended their leases, though it may not apply in all cases.

Many residential leases at the Barbican expire on or around 1 July 2106, with some variation between blocks. For leases that have not been extended, this means the remaining term will fall below 80 years from early July this year.

Under current leasehold legislation, once a lease has fewer than 80 years remaining, any statutory lease extension is subject to an additional element of premium known as "marriage value" (see the Leasehold Advisory Service definition Marriage value - The Leasehold Advisory Service). The inclusion of marriage value can significantly increase the cost of a lease extension and will usually require a professional valuation.

You may be aware that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes provisions to abolish marriage value. However, these provisions have not yet come into force, and there is currently no confirmed timetable for their implementation. Until the law changes, marriage value remains payable where a lease has fallen below the 80-year threshold.

While the City of London Corporation is unable to advise individual leaseholders, we wish to ensure that residents are fully informed. Leaseholders who have not yet extended their leases may therefore wish to consider beginning the statutory lease extension process before July this year. Serving the required statutory notice before a lease drops below 80 years would mean that marriage value does not apply under the current legal framework.

If you would like general information about the lease extension process, including the procedural steps involved, please contact: 

dccs-beo-servicecharges@cityoflondon.gov.uk

We recognise that the current uncertainty surrounding future legislative reform is unhelpful, and we will continue to monitor developments and keep leaseholders informed.

Our aim is always to support Barbican leaseholders by providing timely and transparent information, enabling leaseholders to make informed decisions.

1 Silk St. Planning Application - Huge Building

The planning application for the new building at 1 silk street is now live. Here is a letter from the Silk Street Campaign Team:

Dear Neighbours,

Many of you may now have received formal planning application letters from the City. Please find attached the latest Silk Street Campaign update, with details of a briefing meeting for residents to be held on 22 October.

Thank you for your support.

Silk Street Campaign Team
silkstreetcampaign@gmail.com

Here is the update which includes images showing just how big the proposed building is:

Another whopper - click to open the update

Bulky Waste Collections - the rules

The BEO asks that we dispose of large items as described here:

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/waste-and-recycling/household-waste-and-recycling/reuse-and-recycle/bulky-item-collection

Letter from the BEO:

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Bulky Waste Collections

Dear Residents,

We'd like to remind everyone about the process for arranging bulky waste collections.

Recently, there have been a few instances where large and/or inappropriate items have been left in communal areas/car park without going through the proper collection channels.

We completely understand that disposing of larger items can be inconvenient at times, and our aim is always to make things as straightforward as possible. However, when bulky waste is not managed correctly, the estate management team is left with no choice but to arrange additional collections. Because this is an additional external service, the cost is then recharged back to the service charge – something we want to avoid. Wherever possible we do attempt to recharge offenders directly but identifying this behaviour accurately can be very difficult.

To help prevent this, please ensure that all bulky waste collections are arranged through the appropriate channels, details of which can be found on our website Bulky item collection - City of London. By following this route, we can ensure that collections are carried out efficiently, fairly, and without unnecessary additional costs for everyone.

For the avoidance of doubt, the scheduled bulk waste collections on Monday and Thursday are free of charge. This issue relates to inappropriate waste left in communal areas or car parks not collectable under the guidelines.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us to keep our building clean, safe, and cost-effective.