Architect – Ark Design

Engineer – Carley Daines & Partners

Contractor – Bardsley Construction Ltd

We were commissioned by our client, Adactus Housing Association, to provide the structural input on a difficult site already fully developed, with a 1970's reinforced concrete telephone exchange building. Our site investigation indicated that ground conditions were generally satisfactory, consisting of dense underlying sand. However, removal and breaking up of the existing large concrete bases to the telephone exchange would prove very difficult. An innovative solution was arrived at, whereby the layout of the proposed new building was made to match as far as possible the layout of the existing building, with the original foundations substantially re-used after satisfactorily proving their structural integrity. In addition, the new building was constructed in lightweight steel framing over five storeys with a ground floor car parking area. All floors were constructed of cast insitu concrete on permanent steel decking, and perimeter walls were constructed with a masonry outer leaf and a lightweight steel studding inner leaf.

This gave the client a spacious & elegant building, incorporating substantial economies in the construction process.

Date of construction – 2005 – 2006.

Refurbishment of Weaste Bus Depot, Eccles New Road, Salford into 200 new apartments.

Architect – Graham Hill Associates

Engineer – Carley Daines & Partners

Weaste bus depot was constructed in the 1930's and consists of massive steel trusses supporting a large timber and glass roof.   A particular feature of the building is a listed front facade onto Eccles New Road.  

The proposals for re-development involve the construction of over 200 new apartments in steel framing and reinforced concrete flooring, up t o 7 storeys high.  

A particular requirement of the planners was to retain the front facade due to its distinguishing architectural features.

The building was designed with major steel framing behind the  e xisting wall,  with the wall  tied to the frame to provide continuing lateral and wind stability.

An engineering solution was adopted, involving partial retention of the existing roof during the construction process to avoid the necessity for a large expensive facade retention scaffold.

Date of construction – 2006.

Architect – Pozzoni

Engineer – Carley Daines & Partners

Contractor – Richardson Projects Ltd

This was a particularly difficult site to re-develop, having been occupied by a major petrol station from approximately 1930 – 2003.

Extensive ground investigation revealed the presence of widespread fuel spillages and contamination within the ground.

A remediation strategy was drawn up, approved by the Local Authority Environmental Health Unit to continually assess contamination levels and select material within accepted soil guideline values that could be retained on site.

This strategy reduced the need for widespread expensive disposal of contaminated material off site, with a massive saving to the client. Furthermore, the design of the apartments was undertaken in such a way as to place the majority of the site beneath hard cover (buildings and car park areas) with a minimum of soft landscaping. This had the desired effect of breaking the pathway between any remaining contamination in the ground, and the occupiers of the apartments.

Quantity Surveyor/Contract Administrator – Wilkinson Cowan

Structural Engineer – Carley Daines & Partners

Contractor – CSC Ltd

Spinners Hall was constructed in or around 1900 as a major building in Bolton town centre. This involved the early use of steel trusses and reinforced concrete.

At the upper level, a full height assembly hall existed, and the purpose of the refurbishment was to convert all accessible areas into new apartments.

A particular challenge was thrown up by the fact that the building is Grade 2 Listed , and contains a restaurant (which would remain) at basement level.

An innovative approach was adopted

whereby the majority of the new construction would be formed in structural timber, with a large amount of insulation required to comply with the latest sound transmission regulations.

The external appearance of the building had to remain unchanged, and major repair and renovation works were undertaken on the lead sheeted timber framed dome structure which was found to suffer from widespread rot and decay of the original structural timber.

Carley Daines & Partners were involved at all stages of the project, undertaking detailed initial structural investigations into the load capacity of the original structure.

Detailed structural design work was required to satisfy Part A (Structure) of the Building Regulations, and Carley Daines & Partners provided a full backup and supervisory service throughout the course of the contract.

New Sheltered Housing at Ivanhoe Court, Bolton

Architect – Pozzoni

Civil & Structural Engineer – Carley Daines & Partners

Contractor – Richardson Projects

This project involved a relatively small site, containing 20 new housing and bungalow units.

The site was constructed on former railway sidings, and extensive initial investigations were undertaken for potential contaminants.

However, the greatest challenge was provided by a restriction on the amount of storm water flow that could be permitted to enter the existing adjacent public sewer system.

A scheme was therefore designed using the latest computer drainage modelling to incorporate a large galvanised steel holding tank on site to contain storm water run-off and then permit its dissipation into the drainage system at a manageable flow.

This scheme involved careful collaboration with Bolton MBC and United Utilities (the drainage authority) as the existing drainage system within the area was considered to be under capacity and extremely prone to surcharge and flooding.

Re-development of hospital building, Lancaster, into new apartments.

Architect – Paul Baines

Engineer – Carley Daines & Partners

The former hospital building at Standen Gate, Lancaster, was constructed of solid stone walls in the middle of the 19th Century.

A planning proposal to convert the building into residential apartments was approved by Lancaster City Council. This involved the addition of extra floors over much of the area of the building, resulting in increased loading.

An additional complicating factor was extremely poor ground conditions consisting of a thick layer of peat within the top three metres of the site. The existing building already displayed evidence of structural movement, and a decision was taken to underpin all main load bearing walls to the existing structure to prevent further movement, particularly in view of the increased loadings from the additional floors.

An engineering solution was adopted whereby piles would be installed, taken through the peat into firm underlying strata throughout the building, and the existing structure would be connected to the piles using a heavy duty reinforced concrete slab.

This was considered to be an economical solution and gave new life to an existing building that may have otherwise required demolition, thus satisfying the planner's requirements.

Architect – Paul Baines

Engineer – Carley Daines & Partners

This was a major development to construct a large number of new build apartments as well as the creation of additional apartments within the former premises of Queen Mary's School in Lytham.

Difficult ground conditions were encountered across the site, and the new build properties were all constructed on a pile and ground beam system designed by Carley Daines & Partners. It is well known that a layer of peat exists within the Lytham area, and the piled system was taken down into firm underlying dense sand to ensure that the buildings would not unduly settle as a result of the peat layer.

Construction of new extension/conservatory at 9, Washbrook Avenue, Worsley.

Engineer – Carley Daines & Partners

Carley Daines & Partners were approached by Mr Broadhurst to provide a structural design solution for a new conservatory extension to the rear of the premises.

A conventional upvc or timber frame conservatory was not to the client’s requirement, and it was decided to construct the conservatory in traditional materials. However, a potential problem arose in restraining the horizontal outward forces from the inclined rafters.

Carley Daines & Partners designed a structural steel ring beam supported on steel columns which received the approval of the Local Authority for Building Regulations.

In order to view a typical structural engineer's report prepared by Carley Daines & Partners, please click the following link.

Outline structural engineer's report.