Bury Town Hall

Works delivered:

Replacement of sliding sash windows

Glass atrium roofs

Replacement of cast iron rainwater pipes

Brickwork repairs and cleaning

Roof timber repairs and slate roofing renewal

Specialist lead renewal and on-site lead welding

Specialist plaster cornice repairs and reinstatement

High specification internal fit out

High specification M&E installation

Description of works:

The original building was designed, following an architectural competition, by Reginald Edmonds in the Neo-Georgian style in the 1930s. It incorporated an unusual structure consisting of a riveted steel frame, with the steel members wrapped in expanded metal and encased in concrete.  The construction was abandoned during WW2 leaving the unprotected steelwork open to the elements for several years until works recommenced after the war.  Completion was in 1953.  This unusual design and history led to the difficulties we discovered during the project.

The initial contract was to:

replace all windows with a powder coated aluminium sliding sash type window with high spec glazing, to meet current standards and U values while maintaining the exact same appearance as the original frames

re-roof two quadrangle roofs with a laid to falls insulated flat roofing system.  This involved the removal of two original lantern lights, the installation of supporting steel structures and replacement with modern ‘conservatory type’ lantern lights

re-roof of selected areas covering approximately 30% of the building

refurbish the Registrars room and post room situated below the Lantern lights

It was necessary to erect scaffolding to all elevations, which had to be anchored to the building in a way to prevent damage to the existing stone masonry.

Challenges:

The Town Hall is centrally located on a tight site plot of land compared to the footprint of the building. It is surrounded on three sides by busy main roads and on the fourth side by the car park which serves staff and official visitors for council and Mayoral functions and the Registrars for wedding ceremonies. The building and car park were kept fully operational throughout the project.

Additional challenges arose via the adjacent Elizabethan Suite building, which was used by the NHS as a Covid vaccination centre with hundreds of people queuing up on the steps all day.  Another daily use, via another entrance, was wedding ceremonies; of which there were often six per day.

As these buildings were kept live throughout the project all construction activities had to be carefully planned following detailed liaising with officials. Late daily changes had also to be accommodated.

During our time on site a section of the salamander block roof partially collapsed as a result of a pre-existing roof leak combined with the historical issues around the original construction of the building and entirely unrelated to our activities.  As we had a good understanding of the project, the client instructed us to repair the damage. A structural engineer was appointed who produced the temporary works design to make the area safe and then the method of repair. These additional and urgent works were completed without disrupting the original programme.