Hayes Village, Nestle Avenue

Project Overview

Led by Barratt Homes, the scheme will deliver approximately 1,500 new homes alongside landscaped public spaces, canal-side improvements, community infrastructure and commercial areas, while preserving the site’s distinctive Art Deco heritage.

Axter’s involvement centred on the design, specification, and delivery of the waterproofing and blue roof systems across multiple residential blocks, podiums, and communal areas. The scale and complexity of the development required a coordinated roofing approach capable of supporting long-term durability and drainage performance across a range of roof build-ups and interfaces.

The project combines heritage retention with contemporary residential construction, creating a technically demanding environment in which waterproofing performance and environmental design were all critical considerations. Works commenced in 2018, with the first phases completed in 2025 and further phases scheduled to begin in late 2026.

Considerations and Project Challenges

The Hayes Village development presented technical and logistical challenges throughout both the design and installation stages. A key requirement of the scheme was the preservation of the original Grade II listed Nestlé factory façade, requiring a sensitive design approach that integrated modern waterproofing systems within the retained historic structure.

The project incorporated extensive blue roof design across podium areas to support the site’s wider drainage strategy and minimise stormwater discharge into the adjacent canal network. Large drainage zones, combined with multiple changes in level across the podiums, introduced complex detailing requirements and needed precise hydraulic calculations to ensure long-term performance.

Restricted access and difficult delivery conditions added further challenges. Narrow surrounding streets, public access routes and the canal-side location required carefully coordinated logistics and scheduling to ensure materials could be delivered safely without disrupting the wider programme.

Additional challenges were presented by hard-to-reach roof areas and varying roof build-ups across the development, requiring multiple waterproofing systems to suit different performance, access and construction requirements.

Axter's Approach

Axter worked closely with project stakeholders from the early design stages to develop robust waterproofing and blue roof systems tailored to the difficult requirements of the development. Working in collaboration with Garhigh and Barratt Homes, the team developed coordinated drainage and blue roof strategies that met both technical and environmental objectives while supporting the regeneration vision for the site.

For podium areas, Axter’s second-generation inverted roof system Wilotekt Plus was specified due to its monolithic waterproofing properties, long-term durability and suitability beneath heavy landscaping and high foot traffic amenity spaces.

Force Dalle was used within the difficult-to-access roof zones where traditional hot melt application was not practical, allowing the project to retain the benefits of an inverted roof build-up without the requirement for hot melt boilers. Cityflor systems were specified for the green roof areas and lift overruns, providing anti-root protection while supporting biodiversity and landscaped roof design across the former brownfield site.

Axter’s technical design team produced a range of bespoke detailing systems, drainage calculations and U-value assessments to suit the varying roof configurations across the project. Close collaboration with Chapman Taylor ensured that all waterproofing systems aligned with architectural intent while maintaining practical buildability for later construction phases.

Ongoing QA inspections and technical support throughout the installation programme ensured consistent quality standards and compliance across all phases of the works.

Collaborations

The successful delivery of the Hayes Village roofing package was driven by close collaboration between all project stakeholders throughout the design and construction process.

Axter worked alongside roofing contractor Garhigh Southern, main contractor Barratt Homes and architect Chapman Taylor to coordinate waterproofing systems across the multiple roof areas and phased construction programme.

Regular design-led meetings enabled all parties to review detailing, drainage strategies, sequencing and access requirements, ensuring the proposed systems met both technical and programme expectations. Collaborative planning played a key role in managing difficult logistics and material deliveries across the constrained canal-side site.