Clearing the way for new housing

We’ve recently worked for one of our regular construction clients, E G Carter, on the demolition of properties at Chamberlayne House in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire. 

The former sheltered housing site (fifteen flats and a warden’s house) is part of a regeneration plan which will see modern, energy efficient homes built.  These will be more economical for the occupants to run.

Having been about eighteen months in the planning – the time it takes for the client to liaise with utilities companies, obtain planning permission and various approvals – we were tasked with the site clearance and demolition; working on site for eight weeks. 

Our work involved full site setup and tree protection.  We worked with an ecologist on the tree removal and bat mitigation work, under licence issued by Natural England.  In the UK, nesting birds are protected by law, so we worked together to ensure no disruption to any habitats.

Asbestos was located and identified in a demolition and refurbishment asbestos survey prior to any work starting.  This was then safely removed from site by our specially trained operatives.

Full soft strip of the site followed.  Our experienced demolition teams removed all non-structural elements both inside and outside the buildings – everything from fixtures and fittings; electrics; internal walls and partitions; and ceilings.   

With the above work complete, the next phase of the job was the mechanical demolition of the site.  For this we used our own range of plant, which includes specialist demolition attachments.  This allowed us to work on site efficiently.  

All the resulting demolition material from the job was crushed on site, using our Powerscreen Premiertrak 330 crusher.  The resulting crush was then removed from site and sold on – a great use of a waste product.

Chamberlayne House was identified under the Sheltered Housing Review as a scheme no longer fit for purpose for its elderly residents.  Building work on the site is likely to begin in October, and will see the construction of eighteen energy efficient homes for social rent (due for completion by August 2022).