Working to improve Abbey View and Munden View

Kensa are continuing to make progress with the works to install a new heating system for Abbey View, Munden View and the nearby low-rise blocks, which will provide reliable heating and hot water for residents.

We are working on a plan to implement a temporary car park – this will allow us to provide alternative parking to ease congestion while the works are taking place. We will update you when we have further information.

At the beginning of February, we closed the north entrance of the car park off York Way (by Abbey View) in order to start drilling in this area. We are aiming for these works to be completed by the end of March but will try to open this entrance as soon as we can.

The south entrance of the car park (by Munden View) has been reopened – please use this entrance for the duration of these works.

We appreciate that parking spaces are more limited at the moment. Please rest assured that we are doing all we can to ensure the works are carried out as quickly as possible, to keep disruption to a minimum.

We are doing all we can to minimise the disruption to car parks and keep as many spaces available as possible.

As we mentioned above, we are working to implement a temporary car park that will provide residents with alternative parking. We will provide an update when we have further information.

We have also been sending messages to let residents know when parking areas need to be left clear.

Please ensure that vehicles are moved in good time when we ask for areas to be cleared. This helps to avoid any delays to the works.

Please be aware that we may take enforcement action to remove cars left in areas that are due to be closed, or blocking access routes, to ensure that works can progress on time.

We have recently opened additional car parking just a short walk away, opposite the shops on York Way.

Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation.

In our last newsletter, we advised residents that we are planning to put up scaffolding.

For the high-rise buildings, we need to receive approval in line with the building safety regulations before these works can begin. To keep disruption to a minimum, we will only begin to put scaffolding up once we have a clearer timeline for the works to get underway. This depends on when we can get feedback from the Building Safety Regulator.

We will provide further updates once we know more.

We will continue to engage with the Building Safety Regulator and Herts Fire and Rescue Service throughout the works, to ensure that the buildings remain safe at all times.

Our contractors are doing their best to manage the site and safety of our residents. In the event of any anti-social behaviour taking place on site, will we make use of the CCTV, if necessary.

Works began in late summer 2024. We anticipate that the whole package of works will take until autumn 2025 to complete. We will keep residents updated throughout the works including any changes to timescales. 

The installation will take four days. The first day will be the core drilling. Then it will take one whole day, from 8am to 5pm, to install the pipework, ‘Shoebox’ unit and radiators. It is possible that they may need to be in your home beyond 5pm, depending on the results of your pre-condition survey. The third day will be for snagging and commissioning, and the final day for fire stopping.

We don't have confirmed timescales for the individual work packages yet, but we will continue to update residents on progress and expected timescales for different elements throughout the works. 

Kensa may need to make up to four appointments with you. This will include carrying out surveys around design plans, as well as installation. The Resident Liaison Officer will firstly attend to conduct a pre-condition survey. Appointments will be made to suit you, as well as the requirements of the project.

If you are not going to be available at the time of the installation, they have a key safe process so they can arrange to carry out the works in your absence.

• Design - Constructive Thinking, ECO Surv, NECO Service Design and WarmFront
• CCTV - Focus Group
• Ground source heat pump installation - Kensa

This list will be updated as we confirm the appointed contractors. 

We are pleased to have secured government funding to help finance these works. This government funding has come from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund as well as other funding schemes.

If you rent your home, there will be no additional cost to you. If you are a leaseholder, we will contact you to advise you of any costs in advance. 

We appreciate that these works will cause some unavoidable disruption to residents, because of the scale of the work being carried out. However, we will do all we can to keep noise and disruption to a minimum.

We will be putting up acoustic barriers, a temporary sound-proofing material, around the site and on the scaffolding to alleviate noise disturbance.

All our contractors will be asked to park considerately – if you have any concerns, please contact us.

As there will be an increased amount of contractors working at the bottom of the buildings, please be mindful of leaving loose objects on the edge of your balcony.

Building sites can be dangerous places for children and people who have not got the appropriate protective clothing and training. We make every effort to secure spaces and ensure that there are warnings in areas where children shouldn't play. Please make sure that you supervise children in your care when near the site. 

Over the last few months, we have sent messages by text and email to residents. Please look out for these messages, as they include important updates on the project and how the works might affect you.

If you have not been receiving these updates, please contact us to make sure we have the correct details for you.

We have been sending residents of Abbey View and Munden View, and the low-rise blocks, newsletters with all the latest updates on the improvement works. You can see the latest newsletter at the top of this page.

We held our first resident drop-in sessions on 7 November – thank you to everyone who visited us. This was a great opportunity for residents to meet representatives from Watford Community Housing and Kensa, and to ask any questions they had about the new ground source heat pumps. We will let residents know once a date is confirmed for the next drop-in sessions.

To give residents a good understanding of how the new heating and ventilation systems will work in the high-rises, we are setting up demonstration systems in an empty apartment in Munden View.

Soon you will be able to visit the demonstration apartment to see exactly how the systems work and how they will look when we install them in your home. You will be able to book an appointment to visit the apartment, where a member of staff will be on hand to answer questions.

We will also be filming a walkthrough video of the show room for those unable to visit – we will let you know when this is available.

Please also keep an eye on this page - we will keep it updated with all the latest information throughout the programme of works. 

Throughout February 2024, our contractor Focus Group installed 94 360-degree CCTV cameras on each floor of Abbey View and Munden View in order to make the blocks safer and more secure. 

They are covering the bin chutes, the fire doors leading to the central lift corridor, the lifts, and the car park barriers. The footage will only be looked at when an incident has been reported, such as anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping, shopping trolley dumping, and to ensure proper use of the bin chutes. We will then work with Watford Borough Council to fine or prosecute the perpetrators who are fly-tipping, as per our Estates Services Policy.  

To contact the Resident Liaison Officer, Rachel, please email rachel.rose@kensa.co.uk.

You can also contact your Housing Officer, Shalim Hoque, at shalim.hoque@wcht.org.uk with any general queries or concerns about your block.

Emergency lighting is in place to ensure access ways are lit in the event of a loss of power in your building. The lights are tested monthly and are serviced annually.

A dry riser helps the fire service to get water up to your floor quickly in an emergency. Dry risers are checked and maintained every six months.

Your flat contains a sprinkler system which will be tested monthly. No access is needed for this test. It will also have an overall service annually. The system will activate in two stages. When a temperature of 57°C is detected the cover plate will remove itself and, if the temperature increases further to 65°C, the system will activate. 

This is the red box stored on the ground floor of your building and contains information to assist Herts Fire and Rescue Service should they need to attend in an emergency.

Fire doors are in place at the entrance to your property and in communal areas throughout the building. Each door provides 30 minutes of protection against fire and smoke whilst closed. The doors have an automatic closer installed which should not be tampered with.

Your building has been designed so that each flat is its own fire resistant 'compartment', which delays the spread of fire throughout the building. Compartmentation in communal areas is inspected annually.

Vents are located in the stairwell of each block and help to clear smoke in the event of an emergency.