Contractor Beard has commenced work on its first reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) removal scheme.

The £2 million project, for Cherwell District Council and won through competitive tender, is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

RAAC is a lightweight concrete, filled with bubbles, with the consistency of an Aero bar. If water gets into it, the material starts to break down. Beard is working to remove RAAC roof panels from the Town Centre House, a block of flats owned by the council in Banbury, Oxfordshire. It is replacing the panels with a timber roof structure and waterproof felt system to make the building safe and watertight.

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Beard's work on the Town Centre House also includes refurbishing the inside of the block and altering the layout to include some larger flats. It will also update mechanical and electrical services.

The Town Centre House has been empty since 2022 when Cherwell District Council relocated tenants as a precautionary measure, shortly after national government alerted local authorities about the potential risks of RAAC concrete.

Beard is also working for Cherwell District Council on constructing the new Bicester East Community Centre, a project valued at just over £1m.

Dean Averies, Beard's Oxford director, said: "We are proud to be refurbishing the Town Centre House so that it can be returned to housing use. We really value our work with Cherwell District Council, especially as the area is local to us, and we hope to continue our excellent working relationship. Beard is well placed to deliver this vital project, given our long-standing expertise in refurbishment for public and private sector organisations."