PROJECT NEWS - The latest projects from the building industry

WELSH SLATE HELPS A HISTORIC COUNTRY MANSION WITH A NEW LEASE OF LIFE

A country mansion that was once one of Britain's most at risk Grade II* listed buildings is enjoying a new lease of life, thanks in part to Welsh Slate. Cwt-y-Bugail Dark Blue Grey roofing slates from the leading UK manufacturer have been used over 1,000m2 of roof at Bank Hall in Bretherton, Lancashire, which has been converted into luxury residential accommodation and exhibition spaces.

The Welsh slates were specified for the £5.6 million renovation on a like-for-like basis by architect Miles Pearson as the existing Welsh slates had been on the roof, in diminishing courses (as was the build method of the time), since the building was remodelled in the early 1830s. "We chose the slate in conjunction with the National Lottery Heritage Fund's team, who oversaw the project and felt a historic supplier was far more suitable than an overseas import," said Miles.

The five-year project now comprises ten apartments and two houses within the hall. In addition, the central four-storey Prospect Tower, which is a regionally significant architectural feature, now houses educational and exhibition spaces open to the public for two days a week. The public also have access to the outer gardens and walled garden..

Specialist sub-contractor RL Lovatt took nine months to bring the reroof to full term. Their team had to use 1F bitumen underlay and custom lead boxes to cater for the resident bat population. All abutments used lead soakers/flashings with stainless steel valleys and land valleys and special conservation roof windows.

Contracts manager Andy Wilson said: "This project was quite the challenge due to time scales, the weather and the overall complexity of a job of this magnitude. Working with true Welsh Slate made all the difference - they are more durable, look fantastic and overall are much better to work with compared to the foreign imports that are widely used elsewhere. Lovatt's were extremely happy with how this project turned out in the end." Bank Hall had been vacant and decaying steadily since 1971 and was the first building to feature on BBC Two's "Restoration" TV series.

Its restoration, thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £2.2 million, was delivered by Chorley Borough Council in partnership with the owners Heritage Trust North West, developers Urban Splash and Next Big Thing Developments, who specialise in difficult conservation building projects in the North West of England. (Photos: Next Big Thing Developments, working with The Heritage Lottery Fund and the Friends of Bank Hall Group.) www.welshslate.com

BILCO UK SETS THE STANDARD FOR SAFETY AT GLASGOW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Glasgow’s latest redevelopment project, located on Langside Road, is built upon the former site of the city’s Victoria Infirmary and consists of a large housing development that includes 413 flats, offices and retail space.

The 3.75 hectare site, which is situated next to Queen’s Park on the south side of the city, forms an important part of the Battlefield area’s character, with the buildings’ exterior reflecting and complementing the surrounding heritage by using the city's traditional blonde coloured sandstone. As part of the construction process,

Bilco UK was commissioned to supply six ESW-50REM Smoke Vents, in addition to seven E-50TB Roof Access Hatches, to provide the highest standards of safety and efficiency, whilst being sympathetic to the project’s overall design. Installed onto the roof areas of four blocks of flats by Scottish contractors, Procladd Small Works Ltd, Bilco UK’s ESW-50REM Smoke Vents were specified to provide essential ventilation in the event of a building fire. Featuring a linear actuator operating mechanism that opens the cover to 140 degrees within 60 seconds, the smoke vents ensure compliance with Building Regulations Approved Document B, BS9999 and EN12101-2.

The built-in wind deflector also provides protection against smoke being blown back into the vent in the event of a fire., whilst the newly-designed closedcell EPDM sponge gasket helps meet Building Regulation air leakage targets by providing a better seal of the cover to the curb. With the addition of a fixed vertical ladder, the smoke vents can also be used by maintenance engineers for roof access.

Billy Baillie, Managing Director at Procladd Small Works Ltd, said: “We have a longstanding relationship of over 20 years with Bilco UK, and will continue to do so over the forthcoming years, due to their impressive product quality and outstanding service. Bilco UK’s Roof Access Hatches and Smoke Vents were incredibly easy to install, and knowing they’re engineered to meet the highest industry standards, it provided both ourselves and the client with the confidence that the installation would set the standard for performance and longevity.”

Constructed with corrosion-resistant materials, Bilco UK’s E-50TB Roof Access Hatches were also installed to provide engineers with safe, regular and convenient access to the roof to conduct essential maintenance. Engineered with compression spring operators to provide easy one-hand operation, the roof access hatch meets the requirements of Manual Handling Regulations, whilst the automatic hold-open arm locks the cover in the open position to ensure safe egress.

The overlapping cover design, fully welded corners and insulated cover also ensure weathertightness and energy efficiency to deliver the highest standards of resilience. Mark Baird, Sales Operations Manager at Bilco UK, said: “Drawing on our longstanding relationship with Procladd Small Works Ltd, it was fantastic to work together on this project, which has been designed to positively impact the city’s culture. The products installed were manufactured with fire safety and efficiency in mind, delivering assurance of the durability and suitability of the installation for years to come.” www.bilcouk.co.uk