Lawtech Group Ltd completed as Principal Contractor the £7.2m removal/replacement of both EWI and rainscreen at three adjoining mixed-use residential/retail blocks. These three blocks are: Athena Court (27 storeys), Aphrodite Court (10 storeys) and Apollo Court (8 storeys). The residential use is a mix of social housing, social rental and private owner accommodation. Aphrodite and Apollo Court were funded by the Building Safety Fund, whilst Athena was funded privately. As Aphrodite Court was primarily EWI, we were able to provide a 10-year SWIGA guarantee on these works, having successfully installed a Wetherby system. We worked closely with Wetherby throughout to replace the existing EPS system with a non-combustible rail system. The aluminium rainscreen system was replaced with a Rockpanel FS-Xtra system.

An initial PCSA determined remedial works required, allowing us to devise a design and plan of work satisfying all stakeholders and providing cost certainty. During the PCSA we mitigated a number of risks and created a clear plan of work. This was agreed with the client, Capital PCC and Savills ahead of the second-stage contract.

The project was to replace ACM with non- combustible rainscreen, as well as the installation of fire barriers, replacement of EWI, balcony decking and replacement of window pods. We allocated one Contracts Manager, one Project Manager and three Site Managers to this project – one Site Manager per block. This ensured we had sufficient management capacity on site to manage a project of this scale to the high standards we expect.

KEY CHALLENGES

– Enabling works included the removal of street furniture, planters and advertising hoarding as well as the repositioning of road signs. This all has to be stored and reinstated upon completion.
– The implementation and removal of road lane closures between agreed hours to facilitate deliveries.
– Due to the number of blocks and the combustibility of the waste, waste disposal had to be carefully managed with three allocated waste areas. Each of these contained lockable, enclosed skips and was monitored by CCTV. Waste included ACM panels, phenolic insulation, EPS insulation, and related materials. This was all separated at the separation plant and variously recycled, turned into aggregate or melted down.
– Liaison with Carpenters Primary School as their playground was located directly next to site.
– A gantry was built along the Stratford High Street elevation and overhead protection was provided for the general public and to ensure safe access and egress from Apollo Court and Athena Court and the Anytime Fitness gym. Additional protection fans were established during the construction of the scaffold while there was movement of scaffold materials.
– Working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawtech implemented a host of procedures including PPE, hand sanitising stations, social-distancing, a one-way system, staggered start/lunchtimes, and NHS Test & Trace app sign-in on site. Each subcontractor is provided with separate welfare facilities to avoid mixing.

ACCESS AND LOGISTICS

Access required three passenger/good hoists and one external staircase. Hoist 1 was on Warton Road between Athena Court and Aphrodite Court, servicing both blocks. Hoist 2 was on Stratford High Street between Athena Court and Apollo Court, servicing both blocks. Hoist 3 and the external staircase were on the Athena Court internal courtyard. Back-propping was required in the car park to the rear of the blocks.

Full height standing scaffold was installed with debris blanket works areas, including structural bridges between buildings Scaffold was fully hoarded but we paid particular attention to the elevation adjoining the adjacent Carpenters Primary School. Hoarding here was 2.4m painted timber hoarding which segregated the school playground from the works area. The hoarding was a considerable distance from the hardstanding playground area and the additional parking on match days did not pose a risk to the site works. All hoarding was monitored by Robowatch IP CCTV. Moreover, an access gantry system was created to the Warton Road and Stratford High Street elevations.

The pedestrian walkway created by the construction of the overhead gantry was fully boarded and painted white with overhead lighting installed which remained lit for the entire construction period. CCTV cameras covered the length of the walkway under the gantry on Stratford High Street, together with the hoarded compound area in Warton Road. During construction works along the footpath areas traffic marshals were employed to monitor and control pedestrian movements. On completion of the construction works along the pavement areas a traffic marshal continued to be deployed in order to monitor street signage, assist pedestrians if required and to control the entry of persons into the site area.

Secure hoarding was established around the pavement area of Warton Road to ensure the general public were segregated from site activities. The hoarding was lit externally at all times. A pedestrian diversion was established to direct members of the public to the other side of Warton Road.