Final brick off the wall for Clarence Street tower
03 August 2010
The last remaining bricks from Liverpool’s historical home of building technology have been removed by Wates Construction to make way for the new LJMU Mount Pleasant Campus.
The landmark tower on Clarence Street was originally constructed in 1960 and has been the home of education for many of Liverpool’s building technology experts who remain prominent in the city today.
This week, Wates completed the demolition stage of the new development which saw the contractor remove the 6-storey tower and lower podium in order to begin the build process for the new 124,000 sq ft six storey development. The new building will provide new teaching facilities for around 6,000 students from LJMU’s Faculty of Business and Law and the Faculty of Media Arts and Social Science.
Demolition required an extremely controlled environment as a result of the tower’s high risk proximity to city centre footfall. Hoardings and a protective fan were installed to prevent any falling debris onto public highways. Wates also liaised with the school and nursery adjacent to the site and demolition was ceased during break times and at start and home times.
As materials were removed they were sorted into recycling bins for steel, timber and concrete and then crushed and sent to a processing unit with the intention of sending 0% to landfill.
Graham Murphy, project manager for Wates Construction, said: “This is an iconic building in that it has been the study home for so many people in the building industry in the city so it was a strange feeling to be pulling it down. That said; its replacement will not only provide world-leading education facilities but will also contribute to Liverpool’s regeneration. I look forward to watching its progress as we construct it and it makes its own mark on the city.”
Jemma Blease-Dudley, Liverpool Students’ Union Vice President Academic Quality, added: “The development of this new building is fantastic for students at LJMU. The Liverpool Students’ Union has a key interest in tracking each stage of the development to ensure students are at the heart of the project. We look forward to watching the new design work begin which will result in an environment which students will want to stay and work in after their lectures.”
The new faculty will also house the prestigious Liverpool Screen School and the new University Professional Centre. It is expected to be complete in spring 2012.
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