Timeline since 1975 for the Barbican Estate

[I haven’t been very successful yet in piecing together information about this period.]

1 April 1975. Responsibility for the management of the residential premises in the Barbican estate was passed to a new committee, the Barbican Management Committee.

19 May 1978. The Barbican Management Committee was renamed the Barbican Residential Committee.

1980. The Housing Act 1980 came into force on 3 October 1980. This Act gave residents of council-owned properties the right to buy their homes at a discount.

1984. The Queen Mother planted the little ‘umbrella’ Mulberry Tree near the children’s playground in Thomas More Garden. No one is quite sure how she got in without a resident’s key.

Late 1987. After all other solutions had failed, a canopy roof with a steel frame and polycarbonate barrel vaults was installed above Brandon Mews to keep it watertight.

Late 1980s. Victorian-style lamp posts and bollards were installed in the square north of St Giles’ church.

5 September 2001. The buildings of the Barbican estate were designated listed buildings (Grade II).

May 2003. A referendum took place on whether the residents should take over management of the estate. It was heavily defeated.

2003. The Residents Consultation Committee was created, whose members are Barbican flat owners and residents, as an advisory group to make recommendations to the Barbican Residential Committee.

2004. The lakes were refurbished. This included installing ‘berms’ – small islands of natural reeds – to give shelter to wildlife. The ducks pecked it to death. But in the end they gave up the struggle in the face of repeated re-plantings.

2005. The TV system was upgraded and a new service was provided by Sky.

2009. The top three floors of Frobisher Crescent were converted into flats by the City and the flats were sold. These have been incorporated into the Barbican estate.

2010. Milton Court (the former public services building) which was part of the original estate, was demolished. The land was taken out of the estate and ‘The Heron’ began to be constructed in its place.

2012. Beech Gardens and the lake in front of Bryer Court were dug up and the whole area relined to prevent water penetration into the commercial properties below.

September 2013. The highwalk along the south of the estate was cut off as part of the demolition of St Alphage House, one of the original commercial towers built along London Wall in the 1950s.

August 2014. Eddie Stevens, the City officer in charge of the Barbican Estate, retired. His role was taken by Michael Bennett, as Barbican Estate Manager.

2014. Vision Fibre Media began to supply broadband and TV to the estate.

May 2015.  After completion of the water-proofing and re-surfacing works in Beech Gardens, new flower beds designed by Nigel Dunnett were laid out.

2015. The former YMCA building between the Barbican estate and the Golden Lane estate was converted into flats by Redrow with interiors designed by Conran and Partners. The building was renamed Blake Tower. The flats have all been sold off, and Blake Tower and its flats have been incorporated into the Barbican estate.

March 2016. Wooden log planters outside Willougby House were replaced by concrete ring planters.

8 October 2018. The Barbican estate was declared to be a conservation area.