CLIENT
ISG Construction
SITE
Morrison’s Superstore,
Folkestone,
Kent,
CT19 5JS
Folkestone,
Kent,
CT19 5JS
DURATION
11 Weeks
SERVICES USED
PROJECT OVERVIEW
On the 8th November 2018, the Morrison’s superstore in Folkestone sadly caught fire and sustained damages to the roof and superstructure. Three-quarters of the building was lost. ISG were contracted by Morrison’s to rebuild the store before Christmas 2019.
Goody Demolition Ltd were contracted by ISG Retail to carry out the remedial works necessary to strip the building back to the supporting steel superstructure, in order to facilitate refurbishment. Operatives from our associate company, Truecut Diamond Drilling, were involved in the project to remove the damaged roof structure via robotic BROKK machines.
DELIVERING THE PROJECT
The Morrisons Superstore served as an integral hub for the local community, not only as a meeting place but as an essential amenity for grocery shopping, thus the importance of reinstating the fire ravaged site could not be overstated. Goody Demolition commenced works on-site under instruction from ISG, providing a dedicated team to carry out the controlled strip-out and demolition of the remaining structure, external walls, flooring and screed. Due to the fire damage, it was necessary to carry out an initial remote enabling package, using demolition specification excavators equipped with non-percussive hydraulic attachments, to make the building safe and allow personnel to enter. All demolition arisings were crushed on-site and safely transported away for reprocessing at local recycling centres.
Challenges overcome
Time constraints
As the superstore was put out of action as a result of fire damage, the unexpected impact on surrounding residents was significant, with a key shopping amenity suddenly unavailable. Morrisons were understandably keen to rebuild their store as swiftly as possible, and thus expediency was of paramount importance. Goody Demolition are located a mere 12 miles away from the site of the fire damaged store, and therefore were able to swiftly mobilise a comprehensive team to carry out the works. All requirements were fulfilled within budget and programme, allowing ISG to take over and complete the rebuild successfully in time for the pre-Christmas reopening.
Removal of high level concrete parapet slab
The most significant challenge posed by the works was the removal of the high level concrete parapet slab and steel supporting beams beneath. This was achieved using our own ‘high reach’ demolition rig, thus enabling the parapet slab to be removed remotely using a hydraulic concrete cracker, which significantly reduced the potential for nuisance noise and vibration transfer.
Once the parapet slab had been removed, the supporting steel beams were cut into manageable sections by our highly skilled burning operatives, prior to removal using a mobile crane. The crane was supplied by one of our project partners, but it in itself posed another notable challenge due to space constraints imposed by the store being located adjacent to one of Folkestone’s busiest transport arteries. Careful planning and site management ensured the impact on the surrounding area was minimal throughout the demolition.
Once the parapet slab had been removed, the supporting steel beams were cut into manageable sections by our highly skilled burning operatives, prior to removal using a mobile crane. The crane was supplied by one of our project partners, but it in itself posed another notable challenge due to space constraints imposed by the store being located adjacent to one of Folkestone’s busiest transport arteries. Careful planning and site management ensured the impact on the surrounding area was minimal throughout the demolition.
Project outcome
We completed the works without incident, and within programme, handing back to ISG to commence with the rebuild. ISG subsequently completed the renovation and the Superstore was reopened in early November 2019. The ribbon commemorating the event was cut by the very same firefighters who worked so tirelessly to minimise damage to the original structure.