Major works to the high-rise flat blocks in Stevenage are set to take place, including fire safety works, internal decoration, and the replacement of roofs and windows.

Stevenage Borough Council says it is "currently at the very early stages of the design phase" of the project, which will include major works to all five high-rise flat blocks in Stevenage - Harrow Court, Brent Court, The Towers, High Plash, and High Croft.

The council says the project will "include building safety elements, which need addressing due to current legislation, and replacement of building components".

Works that will need to be carried out include the replacement of roofs, windows and spandrels, internal decoration, fire safety works and the replacement of fire safety doors, and the installation of digital notice boards.

The council has advised that other internal and external structural works "may be identified once surveys are carried out".

Heating-related works will also be carried out at Harrow Court and Brent Court only.

Councillor Jackie Hollywell, Stevenage Borough Council's Cabinet member for housing and housing development, said: "The high-rise refurbishment project is at the very early stages in the process and, therefore, we cannot expand any further at present.

"As of yet, no timescales have been established, as surveys are still underway to identify the works and, once complete, we will be consulting with residents initially to inform them of the proposed works to be undertaken."

However, an involved council officer said the local authority is planning to carry out informal consultation with residents from this month, and hopes to issue Section 20 notices around April.

A Section 20 notice is served on a leaseholder, telling them that a local authority intends to carry out work that leaseholders will have to pay towards. 

Three years ago, Stevenage leaseholders living in the council's low and medium-rise flat blocks began receiving bills of up to £20,000 each for major refurbishment works.

Stevenage Borough Council’s Major Refurbishment Contract, collectively costing £45 million, began in 2018 and included all the local authority’s 550 low and medium-rise flat blocks.

The programme of work affected 3,850 flats - 1,287 of which were privately owned - and included roof replacements, structural repairs, window replacements and rewiring.

The council said it would cover up to 80 per cent of the total cost of the works, but leaseholders were liable for the remainder, which amounted to an average estimated bill of about £14,000 per flat for leaseholders.

The quality of the work carried out, and the impact on leaseholders' mental health, have been heavily criticised by residents over the years.