Tower Crane due to be erected
6th July 2007
Tower Crane due to be erected
With the link between Kempson and Bishops Houses now demolished preparation works are underway to allow for the erection of a site tower crane commencing 11 July 2007. The crane will be erected by a separate mobile crane located within the site demise in Houndsditch. Using a tower crane to demolish the buildings will allow us to dismantle much of the structures as components reducing the amount of breaking necessary, hence reducing the amount of noise generated. It will also allow us to lower materials from the upper levels direct to street level, rather than chuting materials from floor to floor down the height of the building. The fewer stages in material movement minimises the dust and noise generated.
Scaffold erection
Scaffolding is currently being erected to the perimeter of Kempson House from ground level and once complete will be covered with a monoflex sheeting. The sheeting will help to contain the noise of demolition, and to mitigate the release of windblown dust.
In mid-July, following the Tour de France activities, the project will divert the pedestrian footpath on Bishopsgate onto the inside southbound carriageway. This will enable us to safely erect the scaffold along the Bishopsgate façade.
Service diversions
Around the perimeter of the new building we have commenced an exploratory trench on the line of the new basements. This involves excavating through the surfacing of the footways to check that all the services have been removed, so that at a later date we can install a temporary piled wall to support the surrounding streets during the construction of the new basements.
Temporary electricity arrangements
EDF continue the construction of their new temporary substation in the former footway of Outwich Street. This will maintain electrical supplies whilst their substations in the existing buildings are decommissioned and removed to facilitate the redevelopment. A new permanent substation is to be constructed within the new basements.