The expertise and careful planning of demolition and enabling
works specialists, Armoury Group, meant that a historic Tudor
facade was successfully protected and retained during the
demolition of a former textile factory in Leicester.
The four-storey Wolsey knitwear factory, situated on Abbey Park
Road, was cleared as part of the on-going regeneration programme in
the city to make way for the construction of a new social housing
project for the elderly by Loughborough contractor and developer
William Davis, on behalf of housing group LHA-ASRA.
Though the site had been derelict for more than a year, the
corner flagstone of the structure remained historically relevant
for its depiction of Cardinal Wolsey - first minister in the court
of King Henry VIII.
With vast experience in façade retention, Armoury was
able to remove the listed sandstone and ceramic-tiled area by using
a specialist Brokk 90 hydraulic "nibbler" which can nip away
brickwork from up to 40 yards away and allow for the safe
demolition of the remaining structure.
Jim McEwan of Armoury commented: "The regeneration of Leicester
has been firmly underway for some years now, and whilst the
prospect of welcoming a new era to neglected areas of the city is
exciting, it is also greatly important to protect the wealth of
heritage here whilst remaining sympathetic to how these works
affect the here and now.
"This site is situated in the heart of a residential area, so we
were very aware of how the project would affect the entire local
community. We endeavored to involve the people of Leicester at
every level by maintaining a constant flow of information to nearby
residents, plus, as per our commitment to provide sustainable
pre-construction services, all the waste we produced throughout
demolition was recycled and crushed by local depots."
The new development is to consist of 103 apartments has been
designed to appear similar to the current structure and will
incorporate the rescued facade.
Nic Jepson, Group Business Development Manager for William Davis
added: "The Wolsey brand has a history dating back to 1755 and is
immensely important to the heritage of Leicester. Although this
particular factory has been disused and in ill-repair for some
time, the Cardinal Wolsey cameo remains a significant piece of
architecture which we believe should be enjoyed by the people of
Leicester for many years to come.
"Armoury provided extensive practical advice on how the removal
of the façade could be achieved with minimal disruption. We
are delighted that this wonderful piece of history will still be a
pivotal part of the regenerated future of Leicester."