The City of York Council has selected Crown Paints as a key partner in one of its latest projects, the refurbishment of over 200 homes within the city’s Westfield ward. In conjunction with Crown Paints’ expert specification and colour consultancy services, the council developed individual decoration schemes for the communal entrances of the properties. Working in partnership with Crown Paints, and by using the company’s Crown Trade Timonox range of flame retardant coatings, City of York Council has created a safe and attractive living environment for residents.
During the initial stages of the project, experts from Crown Paints’ colour service made a site visit to the council’s Westfield ward in order to ascertain its specific demands, which included the need for each communal area to meet the requirements set out by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). Following the visit, the colour service then developed six DDA compliant colour schemes from which residents could arrive at a majority choice.
Refurbished under the council’s ‘York pride’ scheme, homes within the Westfield area of the city have been completely renovated, including new floors and lighting. As part of this, the council gave each group of neighbouring residents the opportunity to select their own paint colour scheme. Steve Lawson, senior projects surveyor at City of York Council, explained: “From the outset, our aim was to take a holistic approach to the project and importantly, provide residents with more choice.”
As well as giving residents greater involvement, the council also aims to offer the safest possible living space for residents. In line with this, City of York Council asked Crown Paints to create a specification that delivers the highest level of flame retardancy. Steve added: “Although, due to the design of the homes in Westfield, the council is not obliged to consider fire protection in these areas, we took the decision to go beyond the levels demanded by legislation.”
To aid City of York Council in achieving its objective, the Crown Paints’ specification team carried out microscopic tests on each existing substrate and selected the most suitable coatings from the Crown Trade Timonox range. Using Crown Trade Timonox vinyl matt for ceilings and Timonox acrylic eggshell for the area’s walls, it was possible to develop a decoration scheme that fulfilled the aesthetic and protective demands of the project, as well as the legislative requirements of the DDA.
Reflecting on his experiences of partnering with Crown Paints, Steve concluded: “Throughout the process, I was impressed with the speed and efficiency of Crown Paints, as they were able to complete both the colour and paint specifications in a short period of time. Furthermore, by using the company’s expert advice, the council can ensure it is offering a safe, secure and appealing living environment, as well as helping to deliver best value and greater satisfaction for residents.”