Bensham House
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- PROFESSIONALISM
- COMMUNICATION
- CO-OPERATION
- EDUCATION
- COMPETITIVENESS
Client
DCB Kent Ltd
Site
Bensham House, Croydon, London
Duration
14 months
Services Used
demolition
Bensham House was the founding Head Office of Day Lewis Plc, one of the UK and Europe’s largest independent pharmacy chains, providing essential healthcare to communities across England. In recent years, the requirements for the pharmaceutical sector to invest in advanced technology has required the business to move premises, leaving the building in Bensham Lane vacant and in a prime location for residential development. While Bensham House had a significant role in the history of Day Lewis, the former owner wished to enable the creation of a longer lasting legacy via the redevelopment of the site to provide much needed additional housing for the Borough.
The demolition of the former warehouse and offices was required to make the best use of the site and allow for the housing redevelopment, which would deliver a total of 47 residential units comprising a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom accommodation.
Housing provider Optivo have been granted permission to deliver 75 new homes across various sites along Bensham Lane. Planning was approved in 2022, and whilst DCB Kent have now ceased trading the construction works have been taken over by others, namely Oakwood Building Contractors, and is due for completion by 2025.
The existing factory and office buildings on the site needed to be removed as swiftly as possible, to enable Optivo and their selected build partner DCB Kent Ltd to commence with the construction of the new homes. Continuing our long standing partnership with DCB, we were invited to tender for the demolition and enabling works, submitted the most economically advantageous tender and were subsequently awarded the Contract.
GDL mobilised efficiently and effectively, producing outline method statements and design documentation to enable us to apply for required Section 80 with local authority building control and undertaking preliminary work necessary to satisfy the planning requirements and appease conditions of any licenses implemented for the works.
Once on-site, our scope of works comprised establishing exclusion zones for the demolition works, waste removal and disposal including management of skips, maintaining site security, protection of substation, scaffold erection, asbestos removal, internal preparatory soft strip and rubbish clearance, structural demolition and removal of slabs and foundations to leave a clean, clear and safe site ready to handover to the main contractor.
Sharing a party wall with Bensham House, the UKPN Electricity substation was in extremely close proximity to the demolition activities. As such, special precautions had to be taken so as to prevent any damage or disruption to this key piece of utility infrastructure for the surrounding community. Working with our partner company P&G Scaffolding, and in consultation with UKPN with regards to access requirements, we designed and installed a crash deck to protect the asset throughout the works. Non-Percussive demolition techniques, manual work by hand and use of Brokk demolition robots were all used as applicable to further reduce the risk of damage through vibration transfer to the party wall or the asset itself. Access was maintained for UKPN throughout, and the works were undertaken without any interruption to service.
The site of the former Day Lewis PLC Offices had been left vacant prior to redevelopment, and as is often the case with properties like this, had been the subject of attention from vandals and trespassers. Multiple windows had been smashed along the road-facing elevations, causing hazard through broken glass and weather ingress. Trespass was common, with squatters and urban explorers frequenting the site. GDL worked with DCB to improve the site security through installation of more suitable and robust hoarding, as well as installation of CCTV and site sentry devices. We also removed broken glass via scaffold poles to reduce risk to our operatives, following thorough inspections and development of suitable RAMS for these works.
Due to the height and construction of the building, as well as the limitations imposed by the buildings on either side of Bensham House, dust generation and subsequent migration could only be prevented to a degree. As such, having identified the potential issue early on, we implemented additional mitigation measures, as well as keeping in constant contact with surrounding business and residential properties, offering a regular car washing and window cleaning service to all affected neighbours.
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