The Barbican Residential Committee met on Wednesday 22 July 2026 to discuss several key estate management matters. The agenda included updates on major works programmes, specifically the refurbishment of tower lifts and electrical repair frameworks for terrace block lifts, alongside a review of the Director of Property and Estate Management's report.

Tower Lift Refurbishment

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to focus on the Barbican Estate Tower Lift Refurbishment project. This included a Gateway 2 – Strategic Options Appraisal report, which sought approval to progress the project through to detailed design development. The report highlighted that the nine lifts serving Cromwell Tower, Shakespeare Tower, and Lauderdale Tower are approaching the end of their operational life, leading to increasing repair issues, reliability concerns, and difficulties in sourcing parts. The preferred option presented was a planned refurbishment, modernisation, or replacement programme.

Following on from this, a separate report requested Delegated Authority for the Barbican Estate – Tower Lifts Refurbishment. This sought approval for the Barbican Estate Office (BEO) to appoint a Lift Consultant upon conclusion of the tender process, as the anticipated timeline for this appointment did not align with the committee's meeting schedule. The report noted that any appointment made under delegated authority would not exceed the recommended Gateway 2 budget.

Lift Electrical Repair Framework

The committee was also scheduled to consider a Request for Delegated Authority - Barbican Estate - Lift Electrical Repair Framework. This report addressed the ongoing issues with lift reliability across the estate's terrace blocks, where electrical components are becoming obsolete and difficult to maintain. The proposed framework aims to provide an interim solution by replacing the most failure-prone legacy electrical components to stabilise lift performance in the short to medium term, while a longer-term modernisation programme is developed. The report sought approval for delegated authority to appoint a lift consultant and contractor upon completion of the tender process.

Director of Property and Estate Management Report

The Report of the Director of Property and Estate Management was scheduled for information. This report typically provides updates on various workstreams managed by the Barbican Estate Office. Key areas that were likely to be covered included:

• Barbican App: Updates on the adoption and functionality of the Barbican App, which serves as a communication channel and platform for reporting issues and accessing services.
• In-House Repairs and Maintenance: Progress on the transition to an in-house repairs and maintenance service, including recruitment, system implementation, and staff training.
• Governance Review: An update on the ongoing governance review being conducted by Charles Russell Speechlys and Inside the Box, focusing on stakeholder and resident engagement.
• Barbican Estate Car Park Review: Information on an independent review commissioned by the City Corporation into the Barbican Estate's car parks, storage areas, and cycle provision.
• Ambue Heating Study: Progress on the feasibility study into heating performance, energy efficiency, and overheating across the Barbican Estate.
• Wet Riser Systems: An update on the wet riser systems in the residential towers, which had not passed required testing standards, and the interim operational arrangements agreed with the London Fire Brigade.
• Lease Breach Position – Wooden Flooring: A review of the legal advice regarding the installation of wooden flooring in Barbican properties and the City Corporation's approach to enforcement.
• Staffing Update: Information on recruitment for new Senior Project Manager positions and roles within the in-house Repairs and Maintenance Service.
• Expert Witness Report: An update on the Expert Witness Review, noting the expanded scope and revised timetable.

Reporting Committee and Major Works Programme Board Updates

The committee was also scheduled to receive reports for information from the Reporting Committee and the Major Works Programme Board. The Reporting Committee's report would likely detail its work on establishing a governance framework, including an Annual Agenda Plan and Policy Framework. The Major Works Programme Board's report would provide an overview of its work on the long-term capital investment strategy, including the refinement of the 30-Year Major Works Programme and oversight of key projects such as the Tower Lift Refurbishment.

Outstanding Actions

Finally, the committee was to review the Outstanding Actions tracker, which details the progress of previously agreed actions and commitments. This would include updates on various estate management matters, such as the Lambert Jones Roof, the Barbican Estate Redecoration Programme, and the Barbican Estate Major Works Five-Year Asset Management Programme.