G15 landlord agrees £72m deal to refurbish estate evacuated over fire safety concerns

The estate, which consists of six towers, contained a mix of student housing, shared ownership and intermediate rent homes, plus two commercial blocks not owned by NHG.

Unaudited accounts for 2020-21 revealed that NHG had spent more than £20m buying back leaseholder properties on the estate. 

NHG confirmed that those who lived at Paragon previously had all been rehoused.  

Along with carrying out remedial works, the 67,000-home landlord said it would be installing “much” thicker insulation and a new facade to “dramatically” improve the comfort and efficiency of the homes.  

Of the £72m investment, £36m will be spent on works to bring building services and finishes up to a modern standard – including the installation of sprinkler systems, upgraded mechanical, engineering and public health systems – and completely refitted homes.

John Hughes, group director of development and sales and deputy chief executive, said: “The safety of our residents is always our first priority and, as such, we felt moving residents from Paragon was the best course of action and has enabled us to assess the full scope of the proposed works. 

“We know how much of an upheaval this was for everyone, so we established dedicated teams to work with every household to find a permanent solution. 

“The subsequent thorough investigations give us a great deal of confidence that we have a robust plan, and we are looking forward to working with Equans and our expert team of surveyors to deliver our remediation and reinvestment plan.” 

Dan Germann, regional managing director for Equans, added: “Following months of significant intrusive investigations and comprehensive planning and testing, we are delighted to have been appointed to undertake the remedial and reinvestment works at the Paragon estate development.

“Equans is very much looking forward to continuing the proactive and collaborative working relationships which have developed over the past number of months with Notting Hill Genesis and their appointed professional team.

“We are committed to ensuring that this significant project provides both safe and modern accommodation for all residents at the Paragon estate.”