Contractor says it is ‘working around clock’ to fix issue after recent impact of high winds damages panels on 23-storey building
The leader of Woking council and the town’s local MP have ripped into Sir Robert McAlpine after cladding from a hotel it built was damaged last weekend meaning a road below will be closed for several weeks while repairs are carried out.
The firm has built a 23-storey Hilton Hotel in the town, part of a wider development known as Victoria Square, which has been plagued by problem cladding panels for more than three years.
Several fell in autumn 2021 causing the A320 to be closed while two years ago cladding replacement works began.
A number of incidents since have caused further closures of the A320, with one of the latest following December’s Storm Darragh.
The road had only reopened after that storm before the arrival last weekend of Storms Eowyn and Herminia within 48 hours of each other loosened another of the hotel’s cladding panels – which McAlpine said have been designed and installed by Prater – triggering a further closure of the road below known as Victoria Way.
The latest problem has prompted Woking’s leader Ann-Marie Barker to publicly lambast McAlpine on the council’s website this week.
She told locals on Tuesday: “I’m very angry that another panel has failed on the hotel building despite assurances from Sir Robert McAlpine earlier this month that the panels were now safe and secure.
“A course of action has been identified to put things right and the council and Victoria Square Woking are urging Sir Robert McAlpine to progress this as quickly as possible. In the meantime, I am committed to keeping you updated and pushing for a permanent resolution so we are not in this situation every time there is an extreme weather event.”
And the Liberal Democrat MP for the town, Will Forster, also piled in, writing on Monday to McAlpine chief executive Neil Martin demanding he be given a site visit within a week.
He told Martin: “I am writing to express my deep anger, disappointment, and frustration regarding the repeated issues with cladding from the Hilton Hotel on Victoria Way, Woking. Following Storm Eowyn, cladding has once again come loose and fallen off, leading to another closure of Victoria Way just eleven days after its reopening.
“I urge you and the rest of the board at Sir Robert McAlpine to take full responsibility for this situation, including ensuring site safety, mitigating risks to pedestrians, the impact for motorists making detours, and addressing the consequences on local businesses caused by these closures.
“This problem has persisted over several years, and Woking residents and businesses are understandably frustrated. It started when the hotel was under construction and since it was opened in autumn 2024 there have been repeated incidents.”
>>See also: McAlpine to build new furnace at Port Talbot steel plant
Sharing his letter on social media, Forster said the road was a “critical thoroughfare” and wanted to know from Martin “what compensation are you giving to businesses and to Woking residents for the road closures and disruption”. He added: “I reiterate my request for a site visit, as previously offered. Please contact my office to arrange this meeting within one week.”
On the council website, McAlpine apologised for the problems and confirmed the road would be closed for several weeks and in a statement to Building (see below) the firm said it was working “around the clock” to get the road open as soon as possible.
It added: “We have commissioned a bespoke wind model of the entire building and its surroundings which will go beyond the standards, allowing us to understand the microclimate of the area and permitting finite analysis of the loads the cladding has been originally designed to accommodate.”
The £540m Victoria Square development has been developed by the council and Moyallen Group.
As well as the four star Hilton, the development includes 125,000 sq ft of retail space, 429 residential apartments in two towers, a flagship Marks and Spencer store, two public plazas and a medical centre.
Sir Robert McAlpine’s statement in full
We have seen a relentless succession of powerful storms and high wind events this winter, which caused some damage to the cladding. After Storm Darragh, our team committed to working throughout the festive period, including at weekends, bringing in specialist equipment and dedicated expertise from projects across the country, to make the cladding safe.
The original cladding panels on the building were manufactured in accordance with BSEN 1991-1-4 standards and National Annex. They were designed and installed by Prater Ltd.
Over the past six weeks, those adverse weather conditions frequently prevented the use of the Building Maintenance Unit to access elevations safely, making it impossible to repair all of the panels that require an additional fixture within that timeframe.
On 15th January, we deemed it safe to reopen Victoria Way because we had applied additional fixings to all the panels considered at risk within the designed high load wind zone, where the vortex created by the winds exerts the greatest force.
On 26th January, the compounded impact of Storm Eowyn quickly followed by Storm Herminia caused one panel on the western elevation to become loose, immediately triggering our safety plan and the closure of Victoria Way. The safety of passers-by and drivers has always been our number one priority and it is imperative that we complete the remaining repairs.
In parallel, we have commissioned a bespoke wind model of the entire building and its surroundings which will go beyond the standards, allowing us to understand the microclimate of the area and permitting finite analysis of the loads the cladding has been originally designed to accommodate.
Once again, we apologise for any inconvenience caused by the closure of Victoria Way. We fully understand the effect that this is having on Woking and empathise with the frustration felt by the residents and local businesses. The team continues to work diligently around the clock, and currently exploring options to work throughout the night safely, to open the road as soon as possible.
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