Demolition And Recycling – ‘A Marriage Made In Heaven’
Keltbray and Brett Aggregates working together on the landmark Earls Court Project
The London skyline has a new addition this year - a 120-metre high heavy lifting crane that towers above Earls Court, ready to work while the city sleeps lifting out huge concrete portal beams which were laid beneath the old exhibition and conference centre back in the 1930s to protect the London Underground lines that run immediately below the site.
It is a delicate operation as the District line is very close to the surface as it heads up towards the overground station and vibration has to be kept to an absolute minimum to avoid damaging the Underground structure, often works are carried out between 1.20am and 4.20am to keep disruption to a minimum.
A vital part of the project requires the removal of the 61 concrete portals, weighing between 80 tonnes and 1,500 tonnes which will be carried out over a six-month period by demolition contractors, Keltbray. The concrete portals are then transported to the Brett Aggregates Hithermoor site in Middlesex to be recycled and turned in a range of materials including Type 1, 6F5 and 5-75 mm.
The Middlesex location of the Hithermoor recycling facility is ideal for the Earls Court project, being just off junction 14 of the M25 motorway, easily accessible from the demolition site on the western edge of central London.
As well as the recyclable material going into Hithermoor, Keltbray trucks regularly take material from the project into Brett Aggregates' Queen Mary Quarry nearby then pick up recycled material from the Hithermoor facility, which is brought back into another part of the Earls Court development site to be used in construction - one lorry movement for two loads, which is both economical for Keltbray and great for the environment.
Commercial Manager at Keltbray, Terry Marshall is delighted with the relationship that has developed between the two companies, “It’s a marriage made in Heaven,” he says. “Brett are without doubt our go-to company for landfill and recycling in the whole London area.
The collaboration of Brett Aggregates and Keltbray on the Earls Court project is the latest example of the strong relationship between the two companies that has developed over several years of working together on high-profile projects in and around London, including the Battersea Power Station development.
“Having worked closely with Steve Hillier from Brett Aggregates for years and with Gary Langton since 2015, I feel we really understand each other’s businesses and how we can work together for the benefit of both companies. The relationship helps us when tendering for future business too as we know we can count on good tipping rates, quality materials and excellent service from Brett.”
The Earls Court Project, led by developer Capital and Countries (Capco), will transform 77 acres spanning the boundaries of the boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea. The development will create 8,000 homes, 10,000 new jobs, a new High Street, a five-acre park and a host of community facilities including a new cultural venue, sports and leisure facilities, shops, restaurants, a new primary school and an integrated health hub.
“It’s a relationship founded on trust and mutual understanding, where we talk things through face-to-face and sort out any issues that arise between us. It’s a more personal, way of doing business, which serves us well.” Explains Gary Langton, Brett Aggregates’ Operations Manager for London and the Home Counties.
“Thanks to Terry Marshall, a small group from Brett were given a rare opportunity to see the incredible feat of engineering that is the ALE AL.SK190 Heavy Lifting Crane in action. Brett Operations Director, Steve Millburn, myself and four others were invited to the site late at night and, after a thorough health and safety briefing, we watched in awe as the crane lifted a single portal weighing 300 tonnes. It was fascinating to see the precision and delicacy of the operation - an experience that none of us will forget in a long time.”