Armoury Group demolition experts protect historic Tudor facade
(29/03/2010)

The expertise and careful planning of demolition and enabling works specialists Armoury Group meant that a historic Tudor facade was protected from destruction 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 William Davies.

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, Birmingham-based 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 expected to house more than 100 people and has been designed to appear similar to the current structure and will incorporate the rescued facade.

John Simpson, Contracts Manager for William Davies 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.”