London Council Awards £75m Fire Safety Contract

Hammersmith and Fulham Council have appointed Kier Places to carry out remedial fire safety works across its 17,000 housing stock over the next five years.

The list of capital works includes upgrades to firefighting equipment in housing blocks as well as work on sprinklers. With continuing concerns across the country about the state of external walls on high-rise residential buildings, the contract includes external façade remediation along with new window installations.

deliver a quality service

After mistakes in its tender documents meant it would not have been able to fairly evaluate bids"

Mark Whittaker, Managing Director of Kier Places, said, “We are delighted to have been appointed by Hammersmith & Fulham Council to deliver responsive capital works, it allows us to build on our existing partnership which is focused on delivering a quality service for residents.”

In August 2020, Construction News reported that Hammersmith and Fulham Council had to abandon the original procurement, “After mistakes in its tender documents meant it would not have been able to fairly evaluate bids.”

upgrading fire doors

Councilors approved a decision earlier in February 2019 to appoint Kier Group under the South East Consortium’s Fire Remedial Works framework. The 18-month scope of works included upgrading fire doors in Council high-rise residential blocks as well as upgrading dry risers for firefighting in buildings 6-9 stories high.

Immediately after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the Council announced a £20 million Fire Safety Plus package of measures. The package included the use of sprinklers in blocks over six stories, an independent review of fire safety in all communal blocks, and replacing fire doors.