Derby city centre demolition sees the famous Pink Coconut nightclub raised to the ground as part of phase two of the £200 million Becketwell Regeneration scheme.

Cawarden was awarded a major contract to demolish a series of buildings and structures, including the former Pink Coconut nightclub, Laurie House, NCP car park, Padley House, Dubrek Studios, and a stables block. This was part of the Derby city centre Becketwell Regeneration scheme, and it was the fourth major package of work that Cawarden successfully completed as part of the scheme.

Challenges

• Live BT HQ 0.5 metres away
• Underground culvert running underneath the site
• Adjacent construction and demolition sites
• One-way system
• Live funeral HQ opposite
• Nearby church and liaison with funerals taking place
• Basement car park and propping

Working as the Principal Contractor on behalf of Derby City Council, we started work in March 2022. We initially established a site compound, welfare and offices and began to prepare for the structural demolition.

The asbestos removal was carried out in sequence with the soft strip. Our licensed asbestos removal contractor ensured safe removal of the hazardous material one section at a time. Once each section was cleared, the buildings were soft-stripped, and the waste was segregated to ensure the majority of materials were recycled at licensed facilities. During this stage, any items that could be donated to the benefit of the local community were also identified.

After completing drainage surveys and isolating all live services, the structural deconstruction and demolition of the buildings followed a demolition sequence plan that utilised a combination of top-down, high-reach, standard, and robotic demolition, as well as hand stripping.

We implemented strong environmental controls and monitoring measures due to the close proximity of other structures and live areas. Our high-reach dust suppression system was utilised to capture dust at its source. We also had Noise, Vibration, and Dust management plans in place, along with monitoring solutions, to effectively manage and mitigate our impact. In the event that noise or vibration levels exceeded the specified trigger points, the system was designed to automatically alert the Site Manager via SMS and email, who would then assess and review the work method.

After finishing the structural demolition, we proceeded to break down and process the existing slab and sub-structures. Additionally, a large underground fuel tank was removed and temporary works were installed to support certain retaining walls.

To complete the project, all demolition debris was crushed on-site and used to backfill and level the area to meet the specified CBR requirements.

More on this project

Demolition works starts ahead of phase two of the £200mn Becketwell scheme