Civil engineer has to dig deep on city centre scheme

A structural and civil engineering company has provided specialist services for new apartments in Manchester city centre.

Edge Structural Design had to deal with deep excavations, overall height and restricted site access on the project.

The firm played a key role in the Halo apartments on Simpson Street, located in the fast-changing Angel Meadow district close to the Co-operative’s new One Angel Square HQ.

Edge worked with Forshaw Land & Property Group, DLA Design and AA Projects, based in Bolton, Manchester and Sale, Greater Manchester.

The new apartments are constructed on a hemmed-in site surrounded by existing buildings with constricted access along narrow, right-angled streets.

The development features a  reinforced concrete two-storey basement with 41 car parking spaces and rainwater storage tanks to reduce flooding.

Above the basement are six storeys containing 66-apartments which respect the height of neighbouring buildings.

Edge director Adam Sedgwick said: “This was fascinating project with a number of challenges on-site.

“One challenge was the location of an existing two-storey building, a former pub, at one corner of the plot.

“We worked closely with AA Projects to fulfil party wall and building over agreements, and gain consent for the crane jib passing over the corner building, ensuring work was done safely and in the best interests of both parties.

“The two-storey basement required massive excavation work, seven metres deep, and the removal of 500 lorry-loads of earth.

“For the two-storey basement we used reinforced concrete to form split-level car parking areas and ramps.

“Above ground we used a light-weight structural frame solution to keep the overall height down. We had considered a full, reinforced concrete frame or a steel frame.

“However, we chose the cold rolled structural steel frame to keep height down and also make for easier steel deliveries to the site.”

Founded in 2000 by chartered structural engineer Adam Sedgwick, Oldham-based Edge Structural Design is a multi-disciplinary consultancy covering civil and structural engineering, commercial and residential projects, temporary works design, structural inspections and reports.

Commercial projects have included leisure centres and swimming pools, mill conversions, housing association projects and insurance claims. Residential projects have ranged from major new-build sites to period property conversions.

Greater Manchester projects elsewhere have included consultancy work for Willmott Dixon on the £15 million Oldham Leisure Centre and £8 million Royton Leisure Centre.

Edge’s current work includes a new office in Bury, an industrial development on Merseyside, a three-storey retail and office building in south Manchester, and conversion of a London office into apartments.