Description of the works
The site was in the centre of Keighley Town bounded by Lord Street, Henry Street and Cavendish Street, surrounded by Shops, Offices, businesses and residential properties. The building was constructed in 1953, comprised of a full basement level, a ground floor and three upper floors. The structure was a steel frame cased in concrete with cast in-situ reinforced concrete floor slabs that incorporate terracotta void formers. The perimeter was ashlar cladding panels and glazing with a full height brickwork end wall. The inner walls were predominantly brickwork. The roof was generally flat with asphalt covering.
The demolition of the former Cavendish College building was carried out for Bradford MDC who were both Client and designers under CDM. D Hughes were the Principal contractor under CDM. Bradford MDC arranged for Lord Street adjacent to the works to closed for the entire contract period. Likewise
Henry Street was partially closed for the contract period to give a 6m safety zone from the face of the building. Protective scaffold was erected on the North elevation to protect the adjacent house.
The demolition was carried out by breaking into the building from Lord Street, using a high reach machine but leaving two bays intact on Cavendish Street and one bay intact on Henry Street. The South elevation was reduced by hand from the scaffold to a safe 2 storey height and the remainder demolished by machine. The elevations on Cavendish Street and Henry Street were demolished by high reach machine on a Sunday morning with full road closures on Cavendish Street and Henry Street. Henry Street access for pedestrians was under banksman control although on the day no access was required. All the properties bar one on Henry Street are businesses. The Cavendish closure did allow for buses only to pass, again this was under banksman control and demolition ceased before buses were allowed through.