Initiated by youth and community worker Paul Perkins, Tower Blocked investigates the sudden rejection of a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) ‘Pathfinder Scheme’ – a new government housing strategy devised to improve and renew current housing stock – for the Chalcot estate in the London Borough of Camden. Situated in one of London’s most prestigious postcodes NW3, no major works have been carried out on the estate’s five tower blocks since they were unveiled over 30 years ago.

This government ‘neighbourhood renewal area’ has been waiting for vital improvements to be carried out for over a decade. Six years ago, Camden Council triumphantly announced the estate would be embarking on a PFI, promising to solve a host of problems ranging from an overhaul of windows, cladding and lifts to the highly topical issue of tackling anti-social behaviour.

Tower Blocked follows Paul as he tries to find why the project was shelved and in doing so, is faced with a frustrating series of dead-ends: unreturned calls, rejections and poor excuses. He discovers a culture of silence in an era of supposed open government with the few responses given being documented in covert video footage and secretly taped telephone conversations.

How was the much-touted, long-awaited scheme which promised to invest over £100 million on the estate suddenly rejected, leaving over 700 households disillusioned? Why was £1.6 million spent on preparations for a project which fell apart even before work started on the estate? When the Labour government pulled the plug on it, who was responsible? The film exposes the huge flaws in the much-heralded PFI scheme and explores who is held accountable in local and central government for such significant decisions that effect health and safety of individuals and families.