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james73

7 years to build towers… now 7 to demolish them!

GLASGOW'S Red Road Flats will take seven years to demolish the same time it took
to build them more than 40 years ago.

The eight skyscrapers in Balornock were hailed as the high-rise solution to housing
problems of Scotland's largest city.

Now the flats in the north of the city are earmarked to come down as part of a
housing revolution which will see nearly 3000 new-build homes for social rent.

Today a Glasgow Housing Association spokeswoman revealed that, due to the
building design and the presence of asbestos in the flats, they will have to be
dismantled brick by brick.

The Red Road tower blocks, unlike any other similar construction at the time in
Glasgow, were built with a steel framework and asbestos insulation.

The spokeswoman said: "All eight buildings have now been earmarked for demolition.

"Due to their type of construction it is likely that the buildings will need to be
manually de-constructed. Demolition will likely take up to seven years."

This means they will take as long to demolish as it did to build them in the 1960s.

It is expected the demolition will probably begin in around two years with the contract
for the work soon coming up for grabs.

GHA stressed any asbestos in the buildings was not a threat to those living there.

James H

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The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....

Stuball · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject:

Let the neds at it... they'll have it down within 7 weeks and if they die due to the asbestos, no big deal
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james73 · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:45 pm Post subject:

Boss thinking.

James H
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The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....

Unh@ppyb@st@rd · Single Fish Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 160

there will be some liberal thinkers (tw@ts) who will want neds to put on masks and protective gear before they go vandilising as it may break thier civil liberties if not supplied

maximusmop · Roll and chips Joined: 20 Jul 2008 Posts: 58

safedem(who did stirlingfauld) have the contract to strip the red road, all of the tower's starting nxt year with the big one right at the back, cannot remember the name of it

falseface · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject:

Dieing of Asbestosis is not a sight you want to see or even want a living person to go through
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Alex Glass · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:41 pm Post subject:

It would be really good to get photos from the top before the demolition team move in

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maximusmop · Roll and chips Joined: 20 Jul 2008 Posts: 58

yes asbestosis is not nice, safedem are getting a big mast climber thing to put up round the red road to strip it , will be intresting.

james73 · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject:

End of the Red Road (Evening Times)

SPECIALIST asbestos handlers are to be brought in to demolish Glasgow's
infamous Red Road flats.

Painstaking preparation work for the demolition of the first Red Road
multi-storey block is under way - marking the first stage of Glasgow
Housing Association's regeneration plans for the area.

A block of 308 flats at 153 to 213 Petershill Drive will be the first of the
eight Red Road blocks to be taken down.

But the amount of asbestos present in the building means specialists are
being brought in to deal with the deadly material.

Contractor Safedem has surveyed the block and found asbestos in the
internal and external walls. Specialist teams will now have to dispose of
the material in accordance with strict health and safety guidelines.

Individual flats will be sealed and smoke-tested to ensure there can be no
release of asbestos fibres or dust before removal work is carried out. All
the hazardous material will then be taken into sealed skips and onto a
licensed disposal facility.

The work will be monitored by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's Public
Health Protection Unit and the North Glasgow Community Health Care
Partnership. GHA bosses say this will ensure Safedem complies with all
safety measures needed to protect people living and working nearby. An
information centre has been set up at 30 Petershill Court where residents
can find out more about the work.

The centre is open from 10am until 2pm, Monday to Friday.

Jim Sneddon, GHA's executive director of regeneration, said: "Safedem
has a wealth of experience within the demolition industry and we would
like to reassure tenants that the demolition of 153 to 213 Petershill Drive
will be carried out in accordance with strict Health and Safety Executive
guidelines.

"The health and safety of our tenants and of the public generally is of our
utmost concern and we would urge anyone who is interested in the
progress of the demolition to visit Safedem's Demolition Information
Centre and ask any questions they may have."

William Sinclair, managing director of Safedem, added: "The asbestos
survey results have confirmed the asbestos present can be removed with
tried and tested procedures and controls. As soon as the asbestos is
removed we will fully assess and survey the structure of the blocks to
finalise our demolition design.

"Throughout the entire process our staff at the Demolition Information
Centre will be pleased to answer any questions."

Plans have yet to be decided for the next step of demolition, beyond the
removal of asbestos.

One consideration originally discussed by GHA was demolition by
deconstructing the block floor by floor, but they say this could put
contractors at risk because of the great height of the towers.

The controlled use of explosives is now being considered but GHA say the
final decision on which demolition method will be used will only be taken
following a detailed survey of the block's structure after the removal of
asbestos.

If demolition by explosives goes ahead, known as a blowdown', it is
expected to take place later this year and work at the site is expected to
be completed by summer 2010.

An exclusion zone would have to be established around the block
highlighting any properties or businesses which would need to be
evacuated for the event.

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Sounds like the blind leading the blind to me...

James H
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The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....

Scary · Deep fried Mars bar Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 1024

Sounds that way to me too James. They don`t have the money to carry out the 7 year project so they are cutting a corner with these proposals and bringing it down to minimal risk exposure

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