Sloyan Doyle Demolition

Brief Details

This project related to the partial demolition (behind retained facades) of a group of Grade 2 Listed Victorian warehouses and shops linking two roads in a city centre location, in preparation for construction of a new mixed development of flats and offices.

The buildings were in a very dangerous state, with collapsed roofs, internal floors and partially collapsed walls. The original intention had been to retain the facades to the buildings, but the condition of the structures and the lack of a safe access meant that this could not be achieved. We held detailed discussions with the Health and Safety Executive, Local Authority Building Control, LA Conservation Architect and the English Heritage structural engineer, following which it was agreed that one warehouse façade could be saved, but that the remaining elevations would be dismantled, then rebuilt using the materials salvaged from the works.

On one building, it was necessary to number each brick and plot it’s location on the façade prior to dismantling so that it could be rebuilt exactly.

Initial dismantling to the outer facades was carried out by hand methods, using operatives working from a basket suspended from a mobile crane, who carefully reduced the structure from the top down, element by element. Working this way ensured that in the event of a structural collapse, they would remain safe..

Once hand demolition had allowed access for mechanical plant, most of the remaining dismantling works were undertaken using a long reach excavator fitted with a powered rotating grab, which was used to carefully ‘pick off’ individual members / debris (clearing floors, then removing boarding, timber baulks etc) then setting them aside for assessment / re-use. Brickwork was ‘grabbed off’ in a similar fashion and set aside for separating, cleaning and storing on pallets for re-use in the follow-on construction works.

Our Works involved:

• Extensive structural inspection and assessment of the buildings to formulate proposals for temporary works and safe working methods.
• Liaison with HSE, LA Conservation Architect, LA Building Control and English Heritage.
• Design and installation of façade retention system to Listed Victorian Warehouses.
• Asbestos removal and demolition of dangerous Victorian warehouses and shops in city centre.
• Recording, salvage and set aside for re-use in follow on construction of 45,000 bricks, sandstone and plaster features.
• Clearance of rotten timber and other debris
• Excavation of contaminated ground