RAAC Pilot Project – Site Set Up

The property chosen for the pilot project - 10 Milton Street - is a vacant council-owned property adjoining another empty council-owned home. This location has been selected to ensure that we can test the proposed approach and find solutions to any issues that may arise. This may involve temporary pauses to the works as we find the best solutions, and a period for such occasions has been accounted for in the planned works timescale.

This ensures that when we progress to the next phase of RAAC remedial works on the wider council owned housing stock in Milton Street, we can plan effectively to keep disruption to a minimum for all residents.

Scaffolding required to begin works has been erected on site. The next steps of the pilot project involve the safe removal of a material containing between 1 and 4% of asbestos that is present within a thin coating applied to the RAAC panels, similar to Artex. We would like to reassure residents that the asbestos present is contained and has minimal risk if undisturbed.

Given the very low asbestos content and its extensive use in buildings across the UK, we do not anticipate this causing a delay to the pilot project, which remains on track for completion by the end of summer 2026.

You can find more information about how the council deals with asbestos here: Asbestos in council houses.