Category Archives: traffic management

Scaffolding goes up, building comes down (soon)

Posted on by

As anyone who’s been in or around Stokes Croft in  the last week will know, the scaffolding has started going up on the Carriageworks and Westmorland House.

IMG-20180927-00501.jpg

The Carriage Works frontage onto Stokes Croft is having an array of stabilising blocks lowered into place to support the structure before demolition at the rear commences.

IMG-20180927-00503.jpg

Be ready for some traffic disruption and pedestrian redirection.

IMG-20180924-00495.jpg

It has taken 35 years to get thus far.

Demolition of Westmorland House was scheduled to start later this week but this has now been put back by a month or so. We’ll let you know once we have more information.

Site update from PG Group

Posted on by

The following has been sent out by the PG Group. Once preparatory works are complete, demolition should start in early October and be completed by mid November:

  • Carriageworks: Wring’s are waiting for traffic and pedestrian management proposals to be approved by BCC and plan to start façade retention to carriage works w/c 20th August, the retention system should take 4-6 weeks to complete. Following the retention system being installed, the rear of the Carriageworks can be demolished, this should take 2 – 3 weeks to complete.
  • Westmorland House: The protection scaffold to Westmorland will start going up w/c 20th August – this retention and scaffolding system should take approx. 4-6 weeks to erect. The removal of asbestos to Westmorland House started on 6th August and should also take approx. 4 – 6 weeks to complete, so worst case scenario, barring any unforeseen issues, both will be completed by the end of September. Once the scaffold protection to Westmorland is erected and asbestos is removed, the building can be demolished, subject to finalising the Party Wall Agreements with neighbours at 108. The demolition will use a mix of hand and machine techniques and is anticipated to take approx. 8-weeks, so should be completed by w/c 19th November.
  • Traffic management Stokes Croft: It is the scaffold and façade works that will require the temporary pedestrian and traffic management arrangement that we have mentioned previously. On this, there are three important and positive points to share:
    1. There will still be two way traffic on Stokes Croft as both lanes will be retained, although both lanes will be marginally narrowed.
    2. The pavement on the Carriageworks side of the road will be closed temporarily and a controlled signal crossing will be installed near the Post Office to let pedestrians cross safely. This will be in place for up to 4-6 weeks to allow the façade retention system to Carriageworks and protection to Westmorland House to be erected.
    3. Once the façade and scaffolding systems are in place, the pavement will be re-opened and a 1.5m pedestrian footpath, lined with appropriate heavy duty traffic barriers for safety, will be installed along the front of the Carriageworks/Westmorland House. The businesses on the corner of Stokes Croft/Ashley Road – Café Kino, The Arts Café and the Here Gallery – will be fully accessible during these works. Click to  take a look at the detailed traffic management plans (pdf).
  • Traffic management Ashley Road: No road closures or pavement closures on Ashley Road during the demolition works.

Demolition update from PG Group

Posted on by

The following is the update sent out by PG Group today (25 January 2018)

Update on the demolition works for Westmorland House and Carriageworks

If you made the meeting on the 10th January, you’ll have heard the Wring Group outline their plans for  the demolition programme. If not, here is the latest news:

January has been spent undertaking design works and statutory notifications and they have now been able to confirm they will be on site from 5th February with the retention of the Carriageworks façade is planned for the last two weeks in February. If you have any questions please contact me. Here is the schedule for the next 3-months:

February – March

  • Site set up – including fencing and welfare facilities
  • Undertake environmental clean of site
  • Working with ecologist on vegetation and levelling the ground
  • Installation of facade retention to the Carriageworks. Scaffold protection to Westmorland House
  • Closure of pedestrian pavement from Carriageworks (by Best Supermarket) to end of Westmorland House FOR APPROX 6 WEEKS ONLY
  • Installation of pedestrian access crossing point by Best Supermarket

Traffic Management: Wrings are currently working closely with Highways to finalise the carriage widths, BUT a two-way traffic flow on Stokes Croft will continue throughout these works and the life of the site.

April

  • Once the facade retention and protection system is in place, the pavement will be reopened with a tunnel to enable pedestrians to pass by the works in safety.
  • On-site demolition, including No 4 Ashley Road will start along with various other buildings on the site, Carriageworks structure – not the facade – and the Westmorland House building.

Wrings Policy of recycle, reclaim and re-use.
Wring will follow the Demolition and WRAP Protocols in order to recycle, reclaim and re-use as much of the material arising as practical. They will be using the most up to date recycling equipment and most of the recycling operations will be recycled on site to reduce transportation. This recovering and recycling of all types of construction materials from wood to concrete, avoids all but the most essential use of landfill; concrete is crushed into different grades of aggregate, meeting construction needs, metal and timbers are processed, screened and segregated; bulky materials are removed mechanically.

If you have any specific question, please just get in touch with me.

Kind regards

Jenny

Jenny Gee jenny@jennygee.co.uk

Notes of Community Meeting on 10 January 2018

Posted on by

The meeting with CAG and local residents was attended by representatives of PG Group, Bray and Slaughter and Wring Group.

Timetable

There has been a 4-6 week delay from the previously anticipated January start. Exact timetable is dependent upon many ongoing investigations. Current timetable is roughly:

  • February: Erect site scaffolding to make it secure, protect adjoining properties and prepare for the next steps.  3 – 4 weeks total.
  • March: Demolition of Westmorland House begins. Demolition is likely to take 16 – 20 weeks. Timescale hard to predict but will be informed by ongoing surveys and investigations.

Surveys

  • During demolition of Westmorland House there will be ongoing investigations into the condition  of the Carriageworks building.
  • Cellars and curtilage extent is being investigated for both buildings
  • Party wall matters are being discussed and drawn up with neighbours
  • Asbestos and other surveys such as contaminated soils will be completed prior to demolition and mitigated.

Site Security, Fencing and Pedestrians

  • Both frontages of the site will be fenced off to 2.5m from the building line but still within the curtilage
  • Pavements will be closed while the scaffolding is being erected
  • When the Carriageworks and Westmorland House façades are stabilised a pedestrian ‘protected tunnel’ will be installed on Stokes Croft under the support system
  • The Ashley Road pavement outside the site will be closed. Pedestrians will use a temporary crossing to the Picton St side of the road then back across at the Cheltenham Road junction
  • Site hoardings are expected to be managed and decorated by local artist community.

Demolition

Contractor: Wring Group Ltd

  • Working Hours are expected to 8am – 5pm winter and 8am – 6pm summer (this applies to both the demolition and construction phases)
  • Plan for services disconnections and reconnections are being drawn up
  • Demolition process will include a ‘Man in the Cage’ approach where Westmorland House is semi-tented and a water shrouded ‘nibbler & cutting’ process used for dismantling the structure
  • The water shroud will minimise the dust and noise footprint to ‘about’ ambient for the area
  • There will be ‘debris shelters’ to protect ‘Tuckets Building’ and other adjacent properties
  • With the exception of any steelwork the majority of demolition spoil will be retained on site for reuse as processed hard core and other uses
  • Due to the recycling of materials only one large truck load a day is expected to leave the site
  • Site clearance of earth to dig down to building levels is subject to separate removal.

Archaeology and Recording

  • If cellars are found they will be left exposed for Party Wall discussion and redesign of the Carriageworks lower floors
  • Archaelogy Surveys will run in parallel with the demolition process. Work will stop when necessary for identification, recording and possible removal
  • Grade 2* listing also applies to other Carriageworks features such as steel columns and cellars.
  • The demolition and building process will be recorded:
    • Salvation Army have granted provision to have a fixed camera mounted on their retaining wall to record progress
    • A Dove Street flats resident is to be asked to have a fixed camera on their balcony rail to record progress.

Traffic Management

  • The greatest period of disruption will be while the scaffolding is going up. During this time, the pavements outside both buildings on Stokes Croft will be closed, and traffic might be controlled by temporary traffic lights
  • Traffic Management during demolition phase is not likely to be a major issue
  • The published Draft Traffic Scheme for Stoke Croft will be subject to revision once  cellar and curtilage investigations are complete
  • Once the scaffolding is erected two-way traffic will be maintained on Stokes Croft during construction and demolition
  • There is an expected loss of two parking bays on the Ashley Road frontage
  • We will aim to keep you updated about all this, as it’s a changing picture.

Architecture

  • Finishes and brickworks selection subject to approval by BCC
  • Peter Westbury (for BCC) will sign off finishes following public consultation
  • A photographic record is complete and on show in The Elemental Café (bakery on corner of Nine Tree Hill and Cheltenham Rd)

Construction

Contractor: Bray and Slaughter

  • Considering a separate specialist historic building sub-contractor for the Carriageworks
  • One large 45m reach Luffing Crane will be located near the centre of the Market Square. It will not over-swing adjacent properties or weathercock with the wind when not in use. Consequently no wayleave to overfly adjoining properites will be required
  • Other Cranes will be a mix of mobile units for the houses and lower elements
  • No information is yet available on concrete mixing and whether this will be on- or off-site
  • Local job creation including new apprenticeships will be managed by Bray & Slaughter and Wrings

Affordable Housing

  • As yet there is no change to the number of units marked as ‘Affordable’ although PG Group have now arranged to meet Council officers to discuss opportunities to use available funds to create additional affordable units
  • It is expected that the ‘Affordable Units’ will be for shared ownership and will be located in a single block
  • Generally all sales will be on an ‘open market’ basis

Cultural Plan

  • By the end of January a Public Art and Cultural Plan must be lodged with Bristol City Council to comply with planning conditions
  • Willis Newsom has been appointed to manage the Cultural Plan
  • When completed (Apr-May 2018) the Community Framework will be presented to the public for consultation
  • The Cultural Plan may inform the Public Art issues
  • The wider area and not just current use of the street of Stokes Croft will inform the Cultural Plan and will be made available for the site sales material
  • A degree of control over the use and business types for the ground floor commercial units and market area will be exercised to reflect the wider cultural influences not just the current use of Stokes Croft

Next Meeting

To be confirmed but expected to be quarterly.

Planned Road and Pavement Closures + Other Site Management Issues

Posted on by

On 1 December the City Council approved PG’s proposals for road and pavement closures around the site during demolition and construction.

The proposals form part of the ‘Construction Environment Management Plan‘ (pdf) and were submitted in September. This can also be found on the Council’s planning website.

The Plan addresses the following:

Communications

PG’s communications consultant, Jenny Gee, will be “working closely…to establish a working relationship that builds trust” with CAG, neighbours and businesses. Communications will include “sharing both the overall build plan and daily on-site activity” with a commitment to responding to questions by the end of the next working day.  Local residents will receive quarterly update letters.  Daily updates will be available from the site communications website  – https://consultingyou.co.uk/carriageworks.

Complaint Management

Any complaints should be submitted via PG’s communications website or in writing to Jenny Gee Communications, 2 Fernbank Road, Redland, Bristol, BS6 6PZ.  Responses will be provided by the end of the next working day.

Hours of Operation

Works will take place Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 1pm.

If any work is required on Sundays or Bank Holidays advance consent will be sought from Bristol Planners.

Deliveries

There will be no major vehicle movements into or out of the site during the school run. Actual times still to be agreed with the City Council.

There will be a full-time ‘gateman’ at the Ashley Road entrance.  Vehicles will normally turn around on the site but, if the need arises, the gateman will control traffic on Ashley Road to enable vehicles to reverse in.

Control of Dust

(The dirty sort not Rusakov Particles, which are altogether harder to contain).

Dust will be created during demolition. Dust suppression will include damping down with sprayed water during demolition, crushing and storage; sheeting and screening; enclosure of skips; watering of haul routes; sheeting of vehicles removing demolition materials and siting of the crusher as far as possible from neighbouring properties.  Burning of materials on site will be strictly prohibited.

Lighting

To avoid light spillage onto residential properties, temporary lighting will only be used when absolutely necessary; directional lighting will be used instead of floor lighting; low level and sensor controlled lighting will be used only during hours of operation; physical screening will be provided.

Parking

Site workers will not be able to park on site and will therefore park in the surrounding areas.  (No mention is made that these areas are RPZs)

Temporary Traffic Measures

The following drawings set out the proposed measures.  The dates are CAG estimates. PG will confirm final arranagements once they are approved by Bristol City Council Highways.

Phase 1 (¿January 2018?)

Erecting (and later dismantling) the temporary façade support system to the frontage of the  Carriageworks.

Phase 2 (¿January – March 2018?)

Demolition of Westmorland House

Phase 3 (¿April 2018 – sometime in 2019?)

Construction works until the new internal structure of the Carriageworks has been completed. The façade support system is then removed.

Phase 4 (¿2019-2020?)

Construction works following removal of the temporary façade support structure to the Carriageworks.

Phase 5 (¿2019?)

Construction of a new manhole over the existing Wessex Water combined sewer in Ashley Road, very close to the traffic light controlled junction with Stokes Croft. This will, in all likelihood, be a deep excavation which will necessitate a temporary road closure (see SK5). This has been discussed in principle with BCHDH and would be timed to take place during a school holiday period.

Other Road Closures (¿2018-2019?)

It may also be necessary to close Ashley Road for 1 day for the erection (and 1 day later for dismantling) of a tower crane.