NEWS

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This goes out to residents/owners at Sandown Lodge by email where possible, by hand otherwise and is posted here in the News section on our website www.sandownlodge.org.uk. 

We offer warm welcomes to three new arrivals (in blocks B, D and E). We hope you have all you need, but any questions please ask, it’s great to have you join us!

Main event– new doors (and frames) from 22 September  

The installation schedule has now been confirmed by contractors BWC. The first batch of 41 new (individually measured) doors are set to arrive on Monday 21 September. Actual installation will commence on 22 September, at a planned rate of two doors per day.

Block B – 22/9>28/9 (from flat 22 AM 22/9, working down to flat 14 AM 28/9)
Block A – 28/9>5/10 (from flat 12 PM 28/9, working down to flat 1 PM 5/10)**
Block D – 6/10>12/10 (from flat 43 AM 6/10, working down to flat 35 AM 12/10)
Block C – 12/10>21/10 (from flat 34 PM 12/10, working down to flat 23 AM 21/10)**
Block F – 21/10>27/10 (from flat 67 PM 21/10, working down to flat 59 PM 27/10
Block E – 28/10>6/11 (from flat 58 AM 28/10, working down to flat 44 AM 6/11**
Block G – 6/11>17/11 (from flat 82 PM 6/11, working down to flat 68 PM 17/11

**Block A – subject to a couple of requested swaps TBC

**Block E - one swap requested so far TBC
**Block C – 19/10 > second batch of 39 doors arrives, no installation that day.

Each new door (and frame) is expected to take around half a day to install. A detailed day-by-day schedule is being emailed to each block this week. As noted above, we already have a few 'swap' requests for installation slots, and anticipate more. Good communication is going to be essential.

Please check availability and report any issues as soon as possible!!

Entry system upgrade 

This is now complete. Contractor Lawrence from Carter Voce thanks everyone for being so supportive with access. 

Ceilings/lighting   

Old ceiling tiles are being replaced with fire-resistant plasterboard. Common parts lighting is being replaced with ‘corridor’ lights that give background low-voltage lighting but turn brighter when they detect movement. Lighting cables are being concealed above the ceiling, giving a tidier finish.

Following successful implementation in block D, planned dates for next blocks are as follows:

Block B – 2-13 November 2026
Block F – 11-22 January 2027
Block A – 25 January-5 February 2027
Block C – 15-26 February 2027
Block E – 15-26 March 2027
Block G – 5-16 April 2027

No access to flats is required, but the work will cause some inevitable disruption.

Garage security
The east gate was replaced with a security shutter on 25-26 August. The west gate is scheduled for shutter replacement on 22-23 September. Letters have been distributed to everyone by the rep team advising about remote fob reprogramming.

On 22 September, the green ‘override’ buttons at both ends of the garage are being re-instated for the occasions when a fob fails. Both shutters are also being set to auto-close after 30 seconds, the 60-second delay initially set being deemed too long in practice. 

Also - on 7 September, new CCTV cameras were successfully installed to restore garage coverage. They bring much-improved review accessibility as well as higher definition recording quality.

Trees    

The local council have finally granted consent for removal of our damaged horse chestnut T32 (the one by the barrier next to block C). Contractors are planning to attend on 22 September. Co-incidentally, on 23 September Challice Tree Consultants will be carrying out their triennial safety check on all our tree stock. 

As always, their full report (along with detailed tree map) will be available on request.

Hanging tiles  

In one or two places, our decorative cladding tiles have slipped slightly from the battens beneath. Contractor Josh Tobert has already carried out necessary repairs at the rear of block G, with further work planned on the east-facing wall of block E.

Thank you for reading this update.  Any questions at all, please ask,

Your directors 

Terry Davey (flat 53), Tony Green (flat 47), Richard Grace (flat 10), Andrew Humphreys (flat 26) and Paul Stokes (flat 41)