In-House Repairs - Reporting a Repair

 From the BEO:

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Dear Residents,

With the in-house repairs service going live today (1st September), please be aware of the small change to how repairs can be reported.

Non-Emergency Repairs Should be reported via the Barbican Estate App at any time, OR by telephone on 020 7029 390 during the hours of 08:30-17:00 Monday-Friday.

Emergency Repairs Should be reported by telephone on 020 7029 390 during the hours of 08:30-17:00 Monday-Friday. If out of hours, you must contact your Porter or Car Park Attendant, who will notify the Duty Manager.

Please note, repairs requests will no longer be accepted by email, and must go through the channels as outlined above. More information on the new service can be found in the attached document.

Kind regards, Property Services Barbican Estate Office

Barbican Resident Guide

 BEO have released a new version of the Barbican Resident Guide ...

 

Click here to read

 

Building Safety Strategy

 The BEO have sent out the Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy for Ben Jonson House:

Click to read

Phase II: Atkins Confirm No Estate-Wide Drainage Review

 

Following further correspondence with the City and Atkins regarding the Barbican Podium Phase II works, an important clarification has now been provided in writing.

Atkins have confirmed that they were not asked to consider the podium drainage system from an estate-wide system level perspective, but rather to focus on the specific water ingress issues affecting the Phase II area.

This appears to confirm that the current project should be understood as a localised surface intervention rather than part of a coordinated estate-wide drainage strategy.

That distinction matters because the City’s recent FOI response also confirmed that:

• no estate-wide hydraulic modelling of the podium drainage system has been undertaken,

• no comprehensive estate-wide drainage strategy exists, and

• no drainage maintenance records are held for recent years.

I have now asked for further clarification regarding what specific assessment of the drainage network itself has been undertaken even within the Phase II footprint.

For example, while trial holes and waterproofing investigations may help identify how water is entering the structure, they do not in themselves explain how the condition or performance of the drainage runs has been assessed, nor how confidence has been established that the proposed interventions will provide an effective long-term drainage solution.

Given the scale, cost and disruption associated with the proposed demolition and strip-back works, it seems reasonable that these technical questions should be satisfactorily resolved before irreversible enabling works proceed.

Heating Season Ends

 Heating will be going off on schedule.  From the BEO:

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Dear Residents,

We would like to remind residents that the Barbican Estate’s communal heating is scheduled to be switched off tomorrow, in line with the system’s standard seasonal operation.

The heating system typically runs from October through to April each year. This reflects the original design of the estate’s infrastructure and is consistent with guidance provided by the City of London Corporation. As a large, centralised system, it is not designed to respond to short-term changes in weather conditions, including occasional cooler days in spring.

The seasonal operation is intended to work alongside residents’ own supplementary heating arrangements, which form part of the overall approach to maintaining comfort during transitional periods when temperatures can vary.

We recognise that cooler mornings and evenings may still occur at this time of year, and residents may wish to use supplementary heating where needed following the switch-off.

Thank you for your understanding.

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.

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.

Don't flush those wet wipes!

From the BEO:

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Please consider what you flush
 

Unfortunately this week has seen another pipe blockage occur on the estate. As you can imagine these incidents are very unpleasant and stressful for both the residents affected and the staff who work to rectify the issue.

Please consider what you are flushing down your toilets, wipes are one of the biggest causes of blockages in pipes, and go on to cause flooding on the estate.

Wipes are often labelled as ‘flushable’, but regardless of any claims on packaging, wipes should never be flushed down the toilet as they are not compatible with our plumbing system. We kindly request that you, your guests, subtenants, or private cleaners refrain from flushing them down the toilet.

Our plumbing system, equipped with cast iron pipes, is particularly susceptible to snagging on anything other than toilet paper due to naturally occurring material imperfections which can easily lead to blockages and subsequent issues. The consequences of these blockages extend beyond inconvenience, causing significant distress to our lower floor neighbours and necessitating extensive and costly clean-up efforts by our contractors and staff.

To prevent the risk of future incidents, we urge all residents to ensure wipes are disposed of in bins rather than flushing them down the toilet. This simple action will greatly contribute to maintaining a pleasant living environment and drive down avoidable sewerage repair recharge costs for all residents. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

1 Golden Lane construction

A couple of documents have been released about the under-construction 1 Golden Lane office block.

• Construction Logistics
• Circular Economy Statement

And it will look like this:

Hefty

White Cross Street Ramp Closed Thu 21st March

From the BEO:

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Dear Residents,

I am writing to inform you that the ramp on White Cross Street by Staircase 64, Ben Jonson House, will be closed tomorrow (Thursday 21 March), all day, due to repairs taking place on the drains and associated pipework.

There will be barriers in place as well as signs directing to the ramp round the back of Ben Jonson as an alternative.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Kind Regards,
Barbican Estate Office

Highwalk still leaks

Further confirmation that the City's mega projects to strip back and relay the surface of the highwalks was a poor choice.

Rather than establish a boring on-going maintenance programme to fix the drains and carry out essential repairs the City awarded themselves a capital project to completely resurface the western end of northern Barbican highwalks.  The project took ages, inconvenienced residents for years and cost a fortune.  In the end the highwalk looks little better than it did before (some say worse) and the water penetration problems, the excuse for the project in the first place, remain.

The City are currently trying to justify a re-run of this disaster at the eastern end of the northern part of the Barbican highwalks, Ben Jonson Highwalk and its neighbours.

The number one priority in this context should be to fix the drains as part of a long term on-going maintenance programme ... but no.

And then the City acts all surprised when water penetration is *still* causing problems on the western highwalk illustrating that the resurfacing project was, in many ways, worse than useless.

As reported in the latest Barbican Estate Bulletin:

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Podium repair work - Beech Gardens


Property Services have been carrying out work to resolve a leak into the reception area of Nuffield Health. An area of podium tiling had been lifted and waterproofing work carried out to cure the leak.

Museum of London: Move progress

 Here is an item from the BBC about how the packing is going in the Museum of London's move from London Wall to Smithfield:

Click to read the article

1 Golden Lane - A post demolition pause before the build?

The good new is that we have the atrocious noise of the demolition behind us.  The less good news is that the construction phase is due to begin and this will bring a whole new set of aural delights.

But it is not clear when the construction phase will begin.  Mc Gee have completely vacated the site, even the scaffolding has gone (a bit surprising).

So, time to enjoy a bit of quiet while at the same time hoping that we won't be left with a half completed building project as a neighbor for too long!

Here is the farewell note from Mc Gee:

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Good morning,

As you may have seen we have been demobilising on the 1 Golden Lane site as our phase of works are now complete. We officially left the site on Friday 23^rd February 2024.

At this moment in time, the contractor that will be carrying out the next phase of works at 1 Golden Lane has not been confirmed. However once confirmed we will have a handover where things including neighbourly matters and sensitive receptors will be discussed.

In the meantime, if you need to contact anyone regarding 1 Golden Lane, please contact Thomas Woolf, t.woolf@gardiner.com.

Please can you confirm If you would like me to pass on your email address to the client so they can give it to the next contractor, to include their mailing list. Until we receive approval from you, we will not share your email address.

Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you for your patience, understanding and feedback whilst we have carried out our work. We appreciate fully how our works impacted you at times, and by incorporating your feedback we have remained committed to carrying out our project in the least impactful way possible.

It has been lovely speaking to and meeting with so many of you and I wish you the best for the future.

Thank you from the whole of the McGee 1 Golden Lane team!

Kind regards

1 Silk Street - Culture Survey

I suspect a "culture survey" is the latest means by which developers hope to placate residents while they press ahead with what they wanted to do in the first place.

Here we go ... this is via the Ben Jonson House Group:

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Dear Neighbours,


1 SILK STREET – CONSULTATION

The developer of Silk Street has appointed the multi-disciplinary culture agency called Things Made Public to "devise a site-specific cultural and community offer within 1 Silk Street, genuinely driven by consultation with local people." We only received the info a day or so ago, hence the tight deadline for responses.

As part of phase 1 the agency decided to:

do a culture survey targeted at residents of the Barbican Estate and Golden Lane Estate,
ask for people's details so that they can get in touch to do some further in-person consultation,
target those that haven't had the opportunity to express their views.

There are some important questions which may influence the types of facilities considered by the developer of the site. If you have the time, please take part in the survey by 26th February.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SJ2RB3X

Best wishes,

<Ben Jonson House>

 

 

 

 

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For news and history see The Ben Jonson House Blog
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Barbican Cluster Panel Meeting: 18:00, Thursday 13 July

From the BEO:

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Panel Meeting


The next Barbican Cluster Panel Meeting will be at 6pm on Thursday 13 July in Golden Lane Estate Community Centre, Fann Street.

Come and join us to:Receive local crime and antisocial behaviour updates
Discuss local policing activity
Raise concerns directly to officers
Agree Cluster Promises together

Cluster Panels are made up of local people who help us assess community concerns and establish priorities for policing in the area.

Neighbourhood Area & Forum

In a message from the City we are told about a ...

Click to read the whole letter

The idea of neighbourhood planning is explained in this video:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvAHhrKNVt0

In essence neighbourhood planning seems to be a mechanism whereby residents can in some way influence planning decisions.  Potentially powerful stuff.

See the "Proposed Barbican and Golden Lane Neighbourhood Forum and Area " to find out more and give feedback.

See also the letter sent to the City applying to create the area and forum:

Click to read the whole letter