Foundry demolition allows Bolton regeneration

Manchester, UK, based J Freeley has completed the demolition of a 2,970 square metre (32,000 square foot) derelict structure called The Wharf Foundry in Bolton, Greater Manchester, to make way for a £210 million (US$330 million) mixed use redevelopment known as Church Wharf. The foundry, built in 1873, had lain derelict since the 1980s and had become a victim of break-ins and theft. In addition, partial collapse of the roof had left the building in a dangerous condition.

Freeley liaised closely with the Environment Agency to agree a safe working strategy for dismantling the building, which ran alongside the River Croal. One of the walls was next to a riverside footpath, which was closed to the public during the demolition work. As well as demolition, Freeley removed asbestos from the site, made good retained party walls to adjacent buildings, capped boundary walls, installed new fencing and carried out drainage and tree clearance works. Voids and pits on the site were backfilled with crushed masonry from the demolition arisings.

Most of the demolition during the 14 week project was carried out mechanically, but Freeley’s operatives were required to carry out sensitive dismantling by hand of partially-collapsed areas near other buildings with work at height being carried out from MEWPs.

The company deployed a Hyundai R220LC-9A, a Komatsu PC210 and a Case CX130, in addition to a Haulotte HA20PX MEWP. The excavators made use of shears, crushers and selector grabs during the demolition and processing of material. During the project, 250 tonnes of cast iron and steel were removed from the site for recycling.