Many Ramsgate residents live in listed buildings or in a house contained in one of the many conservation areas dotted about the town. When deciding to do repairs or alterations to your listed or conserved building you have no doubt come across the many restrictions placed on their owners. One particular requirement is the quality of craftsmanship and appropriate materials used in the works.
The picture above shows a “quality” repair carried out to a Grade II listed structure on behalf of KCC, after the brick pillar leapt out in front of a stationary vehicle which happened to be passing at the time. I will leave it to your opinion as to whether or not you think this is an appropriate repair. As least it shows what quality of workmanship is acceptable in the public sector. If the vehicle’s insurer had to pay for this repair I wonder whether they would be happy with a similar quality on a vehicle repair.
While I am banging on about this subject, I thought it right to mention Eastcliff Lift, you know, the one renovated with “loadsa” money from a Lottery fund, complete with beautiful tiled floors. Another inappropriate repair!. There may be an excuse of no money for restoration but there is no excuse for spending good money on shoddy repairs to good buildings.
Ken I think the problem here is probably one of council work being inspected by the council, I tried pointing out work that would become invisible and appeared to have defects in some of the Pleasurama cliff repairs, at a point when the council could still have accessed it for inspection, frankly the council just didn’t seem to want to know.
ReplyDeleteNow we are stuck with repairs that have so far cost us £1m and are visibly defective, what the solution could be I really don’t know, you see someone engaged in unstable building practices on work for the council, where the council is also the local inspectorate and they hold all the cards, who do you consult?
Michael, I think the only way forward is to publicise these disasters, in the hope that someone is shamed into action. A faint hope i'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteThe really sad thing about it, is that wonderful buildings are being ruined by those who are supposed to protect them