PROJECT
Whiteleys
Finchatton employed us to carry out demolition works, piling and soft stripping as well as heritage works and façade protection for the Grade II listed Whiteleys site as part of its restoration and transformation.
Located in Bayswater, London the iconic shopping centre, built in 1908, was was designated a Grade II listed building in 1970. The Whiteleys redevelopment will rejuvenate the shopping centre and its surroundings by providing new restaurants, retail space, accommodation, and a new hotel.
Technical challenge
One of the main challenges was the protection and removal of the iconic features of the Grade II listed building.
We successfully removed the windows from the Queensway and Porchester Gardens façade, the roof domes and the famous spiral staircase. All stonework removed to enable the demolition works were individually numbered and stored off-site and will be reinstated as key features of the new development. Trees around the Whiteleys building were also carefully removed and will be returned when the development reaches its conclusion.

The main demolition of the shopping centre involved the top-down demolition of the internal structure to ground level.  Basement excavation and piling works were then carried out before handing the site over to the Main Contractor for the next phase of the redevelopment.

COMMUNITY LIAISON

The project was situated within a densely populated residential and commercial area and we recognised the importance of establishing good relations with local stakeholders.

Regular newsletters were hand delivered and displayed on site hoarding and local noticeboards in the library, post office and church hall. We worked closely with tenant and resident’s associations to keep people informed and were able to resolve any issues in a calm, patient and timely manner. Individual visits were arranged with concerned residents to answer their questions and provide independent noise and vibration monitoring where required for reassurance. Real time site monitoring of noise, dust and vibration showed that the agreed limits were never breached.

A traffic calming system enabled the reduction of noise, dust and pollution, whilst demolition arisings were crushed on site and reused to lay the piling mat – avoiding over 8,000 lorry journeys through London and contributing the carbon reduction targets of the project. Our traffic marshals ensured traffic disruption was kept to a minimum. Our 24 hour security team built a close relationship with the police and were able to assist in enquiries following local crimes as well as actively preventing crimes from occurring around the site. Engagement with local stakeholders also included the cleaning of a paint spillage outside the local Boots store that was being walked along the pavement with our jet wash and spill kit, employing a window cleaner to clean all windows facing on to site, contributions of hampers and balloons to a resident’s association and St Mary’s Hospital charity raffles. We worked with three local schools to celebrate creativity in the community and displayed their artwork on the hoarding surrounding the project.

SERVICE OVERVIEW
As well as vital heritage works and facade protection, we also undertook demolition, piling and soft stripping works to prepare the site for its redevelopment.
THE DETAIL
We commenced works in January 2019.
Demolition

Demolition of the rear car park was completed early in the project. This was a key activity to complete, as it allowed a far greater footprint for material storage, processing and plant movement.

Installation of temporary works was carried out to protect the façade of the shopping centre, as well as titan props to ensure the structural stability of floors when the excavator was used during the top-down demolition.

Tree removal 

Trees around the Whiteleys building were carefully removed from the site by a specialist contractor to allow access to the structure for plant and equipment. The trees will be returned when the development reaches its conclusion.

Soft stripping

Multiple soft strip teams carried out the removal of third party assets, which remained in the shopping centre. Materials were processed on-site for recycling and hauling to our waste management facility.

Soft strip
Heritage works
Façade retention
Demolition
Piling