Three landmark tower blocks will get a £5 million overhaul including rooftop gardens and new cladding.

Cripplegate House, Severn House and Henwick House loom over the city’s skyline in St John’s.

The owner of the blocks, Worcester Community Housing (WCH), has unveiled its vision to spruce up the tired-looking buildings.

The high-rises have waited longer than the rest of the city’s housing stock for a revamp, because of the complexity and expense of the task.

Now plans show a new paint job with a gradual transition from dark at the bottom of the tower to a lighter “neutral” colour at the top.

On the tops of the buildings will be rooftop viewing platforms which WCH say will deliver “panoramic views” of the city.

The new buildings will also get “thermal cladding” making them more heat efficient, lifts that stop at every floor and new windows.

The plans have met with the approval of tenants such as Pat Richardson and Bill Stewart, who both sat on the steering committee that acted as a sounding board for the plans. Mr Stewart is also on WCH’s managing board as a tenant member.

He said that many residents were elderly and less mobile, making the revamp a sensitive issue. “I think WCH have got it right – I think it is going to difficult, but it has to be done,” said Mr Stewart.

“They have offered to move people out while the work goes on. But WCH has done as much as they can, and went out of their way to talk to all 165 tenants before the plans came out.”

He also said that the windows were in urgent need of replacing – “in one of my bedrooms it blows a gale”, he said.

Mrs Richardson also welcomed plans to replace internal sewer pipes and said a spruce up would also “lift” the whole area.

“We want to hear anyone’s opinion – for or against,” she said. “These are a landmark buildings, and they are going to look this way for many years.

“But ultimately, it’s the people that have to live in them whose opinion should matter most.”

Bill Tebay, WCH property services director, said the revamp delivered “a statement of WCH’s ambition to make a real difference” to tenants and the city. He said it would deliver “better homes now and for generations to come.”

A public consultation on the plans is open and plans can be viewed at Worcester City Council’s website, or at Orchard House, quoting reference P12K0158.

Feedback must be received by Tuesday. If permitted, work would start in autumn and last 72 weeks.