Dundee hotel set for recladding work over safety and aesthetic concerns

Completed in 2002 as part of Dundee’s early waterfront regeneration, the steel‑framed hotel was designed with vertical Western Red Cedar tongue‑and‑groove boards across its upper floors. The intention was for the timber to weather uniformly to a silver-grey tone.

Instead, a combination of local climatic conditions and detailing around flashings and projections led to uneven weathering, staining and a patchy appearance that became a persistent aesthetic issue for the operator.

By 2012, Apex Hotels opted to stain the cladding a uniform dark colour to mask the discolouration and extend the material’s lifespan, securing the necessary planning approval before undertaking the work. More than a decade on, however, the timber has reached the end of its design life, prompting the hotel to pursue a full replacement strategy.

Regulatory change is now a decisive factor. Post‑Grenfell amendments to Building Regulations prohibit the use of combustible cladding materials above 11m. With Apex City Quay rising to 16m at its top floor, a like‑for‑like timber replacement is no longer permissible, a planning statement by ISA revealed.

The proposed solution involves removing the existing boards and installing a non‑combustible dark grey fibre‑cement system to deliver a compliant, durable and visually coherent façade.