Project details
Client:
Strathmore Homes
Sector:
Residential
Cost:
£930k
Project description
St David’s North Church was built in 1929 at Strathmore Avenue, on what appeared to have been a greenfield site. Built in the Norman style with a square tower, the structure was found to be unstable less than a year after construction and the nave section, which was moving, had to be buttressed. The finding of asbestos within the under-croft, rendered continued use of the building unviable and it finally closed in 2014 to become the subject of housing re-development plans.
While our desk study revealed little in the way of potential contamination issues, preliminary drainage assessments encountered ash and demolition rubble contaminated soils. Millard Consulting was commissioned during 2015 to investigate and assess implications for the proposed housing development consisting of 10 houses. Made ground was found to extend across half the site, presumably placed to level the site prior to construction of the church. The rubble proved to be of considerable size and its ongoing consolidation was probably responsible for the instability of the church. The ashy soil also proved to be unsuitable material for the proposed development and a remedial strategy was developed to the satisfaction of the Council to make the site suitable for its proposed use.
The infrastructure and structures teams are nearing completion of the project and Millard are set to validate the implemented remediation strategy making these affordable homes suitable for use and are set for release in 2016.
