Demolition of first of four iconic chimneys imminent.
Demolition of the first of Battersea Power Station’s chimneys will start in two weeks, the developer has confirmed.
It will take five months to dismantle the 50m high structure. Its replacement will be complete by next summer, said Philip Gullett, chief operating officer at the Battersea Power Station Development Company.
A rig encircling the south-western and oldest chimney is already in place and will slowly ascend next week, ready to start chewing up the reinforced concrete from the top down.
Yesterday the engineer in charge of the £11 million deconstruction and reconstruction of all four chimneys explained exactly how it will happen.
Justin Phillips, a partner at Buro Happold, said four hydraulic crushers would destroy the grade II* chimney six inches at a time.
The debris will be tipped down the inside of the chimney and reused on site, possibly for roads. This method was selected over conventional demolition as it allows work to continue on the rest of the site.
The final 10m of each chimney are hidden within the 65m brick washtowers which are currently being strengthened and repaired.
Once deconstruction of the first chimney has been completed work will begin to rebuild it using exactly the same method and almost identical materials. It should emerge from its washtower four or five months after the original disappears from view.
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