Valentines Day – Projects we loved!

Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating what we love most, and here at Downwell Enabling, we asked our team to share the projects they’ve truly fallen for. Whether it’s the challenge, the teamwork, or the impact of the work, each project has a special story behind it.

From transforming complex demolition sites to preparing spaces for new beginnings, here’s what some of our team had to say about the projects that captured their hearts.

Matt Phillips- 

Name of project: 31-33 Maddox Street

Scope of work:The demolition of a retail and office building located within a terrace, and requiring extensive temporary works to be designed and installed to maintain the stability of the two neighbouring buildings.

Why you loved this project: This project really showcased our ability to think outside the box, safely and be innovative in our approach.

Andy McClafferty- 

Name of project: Avocet Crane Remedials

Scope of work: The removal of the steel crane gantry, the installation of piled foundations, ground bearing floor slab with associated drainage, followed by the re-erection of the new steel gantry frame.

Why you loved this project: This project not only showcased Downwell’s enabling capabilities, but also our adaptability in working with the client who wished to maintain a full operational capability across the site.

Sarah Clark- 

Name of project: Abbey Road

Scope of work: Demolition of structures using the long-reach technique, including all necessary asbestos removal works; Downwell also provided the R&D survey that confirmed the full extent of asbestos containing materials within the buildings.

Why you loved this project: It was a great project to be involved with that is resulting in more homes for the community, but it was exciting to be working on the famous road The Beatles took their famous album cover on!

Mark Roberts- 

Name of project: Travelodge Docklands/Telehouse – West

Scope of project: Employed by the client’s agent, Downwell undertake the demolition package inclusive of a pre-commencement Asbestos R&D survey to determine the presence of asbestos, the removal of all identified asbestos containing materials, structural demolition, and services installation.

Why you loved the project: Due to the area being extensively bombed during World War 2, our team had to plan in a methodical manner. Our pre-construction team studied local archives giving us an insight into local history.

Chris Young- 

Name of project: QE2 Hospital

Scope of works: Principal Contractor role for the façade retention, temporary works design/installation, demolition, soft-strip, and asbestos removal works from within a live health sector facility.

Why you loved the project: 

David Goulding- 

Name of project: Ujima House

Scope of works: The full scope of works consisted of asbestos removal, soft strip, the installation of a protection scaffold to the front elevation of the building (using our Downwell Group partners Inner City Scaffolding) followed by the full demolition using appropriately sized high reach machines; we also removed all foundations and underground structures, carrying out on-site crushing to provide pile platform materials to be utilised by others. Inner City Scaffolding provided a regular onsite presence to strike scaffold as Downwell progressively reduced the height of the building.

Why you loved the project: This site came with logistical challenges, being unable to gain access to the site from Wembley High Road. To facilitate access/egress, we met with the neighbouring site contractor’s representative to allow access through there and agreed a timetable of access that did not compromise their construction program, whilst allowing Downwell to similarly maintain compliance with ours.

Shane Fountain- 

Name of project: Quay House

The works involve demolition to a 3-storey building and the ground slab and foundations removed.

The project itself was situated on the River/Dockland within Canary Wharf.

DLR was situated along one side of the structure with a pinch point that was only a few meters away from the corner of the structure.

Scope of works:

• Site setup.
• Asbestos removal.
• Demolition to the Fire Escape.
• Scaffold Erection.
• Soft strip all buildings of internal fixings and fittings.
• Structural Demolition of Quay House.
• Removal of all ground slabs and foundations within footprint of the buildings and clear the footprint down to 2m

Why you loved the project:

Personally, this project was a love hate relationship. We had to input multiple control measures due to the distance between the structure to the Dockland Light Railway line. This included a specifically designed scaffolding, the planning and management of DLR SSO (site Suervisor Opertaors) provided by DLR which was tricky at times, the restriction on high reach machinery and multiple other control measures. That all being said, it was a good test of what we can do as a company and as an individual, making me step out of my comfort zone to come out of it more knowledgeable and confident.

Lewis Turnbull- 

Name of project: Telehouse Travelodge

Scope of works: Soft Strip & Full Demolition

Why you loved the project: This is my favourite project to date in my 2 years with Downwell Group as it was my first project that involved full demolition. Having a career history of predominantly Civils projects, I was used to pouring concrete instead of demolishing, so this project in particular will sit with me for a long time. I was taken back by the intricacy of the “bay by bay” demolition technique, and how you could compare this to an almost reverse sequence if you were to construct. Growing up in a world of Civils and having no knowledge of demolition naively led me to believe that demolition was more luck than judgement… How wrong could I have been! It is safe to say I wish I was involved in this sector earlier than I was, and I continue to learn on a day to day basis on the importance of intricate details when it comes to demolition, as the smallest mistake can often have the most fatal consequence.

Patricia Jipus-

Name of project: Holloway Prison

Scope of work: Demolition of all low and medium height structures that made up the Prison, inclusive of all asbestos and hazmat removal.

Why you loved the project: Being able to walk through a historic sight was a first for me and being part of this project was like stepping into history.

Nathan McEwan-Cook-

Name of the project: Richmond College

Scope of work: The demolition of all redundant college buildings, ahead of its redevelopment to provide residential properties. Set within an existing residential area the delivery of the demolition works requires much liaison with the local residents’ group, and the local authority to ensure that our early enabling works are delivered in a manner that ensures the maintains the highest levels of neighbour engagement and neighbour satisfaction.

Why you loved the project: This was the first project I was able to see from start to finish within Downwell enabling. Along with Patricia, we submitted this project for an award at the British Demolition Awards 2024, being highly commended by the judges.