Yorkshire,
UK-based Controlled Demolition Group showed the residents of
Bradford how they have achieved their worldwide status as leading
demolition experts when they carried out the city's first ever
explosive demolition.
The company
was awarded the contract to bring down eight-storey Provincial
House, an office block constructed at the heart of the city
centre by developer St James Securities Limited.
In preparation
for the blow down, Controlled Demolition Group effectively
minimized noise and traffic disruption whilst completing comprehensive
pre-weakening, protection work to gas, electric and water
mains just 20m away, and removing 1,000 individual glass panels.
The company's
explosives experts inserted over 1,500 non-electric detonating
charges and 90kg of explosives in preparing for the early
morning blow down. A special blast mechanism was designed
because of Provincial House's close proximity to other buildings
- the nearest is just 17m away and the city's famous town
hall 150m away.
Controlled
Demolition Group managing director Darren Palin said: "To
ensure the safe and successful demolition of Provincial House
we devised a collapse mechanism that brought down the middle
section of the structure first so that the outside walls were
pulled inwards on the building's own footprint.
"The
blast occurred relatively early in the morning - at 9am -
so that traffic could get back to normal in time for Sunday
workers, shoppers and other visitors to the city."
The demolition
will make way for the construction of a new 55,000sq-ft leisure
and terrace development. Designed by architects Panter Hudspith,
the contemporary building will embrace Centenary Square and
bring added life to Bradford's central piazza.
Provincial
House was condemned for occupation in 1997 when a survey revealed
a high level of asbestos and a redundant air conditioning
system. Both the asbestos and the refrigeration plant have
been carefully removed by Controlled Demolition Group ahead
of the blow down.
The Centenary
Square development is the first of many regeneration projects
being promoted in support of Bradford's bid for the European
Caption of Culture for 2008.
