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Bolton foundry demolished to make way for £210 million scheme

Contractor J Freeley has completed the demolition of a former foundry in Bolton, a key milestone for a £210 million mixed-use scheme near the town centre.

The demolition of the 32,000 sq ft building marks the first stage in the development of the 14-acre Church Wharf scheme, a joint venture between Ask Developments and investment firm Bluemantle.

Church Wharf, near St Peter’s Church and the River Croal, will feature more than 340,000 sq ft of offices, over 230 family townhouses and apartments, a cinema, cafés, bars and restaurants, a hotel, shops, pedestrian routes and public spaces.

There will also be a footbridge over the River Croal leading to Churchgate and into the town centre.

The former foundry, on Church Bank, was constructed in 1873 and was known as Booth Industries, later becoming The Wharf Foundry.

It was used for engineering and metal works and in its heyday was a major employer, supplying factories and mills around Manchester.

The building had lain derelict since the early 1980s and became a target for break-ins and theft.

It deteriorated into a dangerous state after parts of the roof collapsed.

Manchester-based Freeley liaised closely with the Environment Agency to agree a safe working strategy for dismantling the building, which ran alongside the river.

During the 14-week project, 250 tonnes of cast iron and steel were removed from the site for recycling.

Freeley’s managing director John Freeley said: “Our experienced team succeeded in dealing with the challenges of demolishing a substantial, dangerous building, while ensuring that party and boundary walls were left in a safe and stable condition.

“We worked closely with the Environment Agency, as environmental concerns played a big part in the project, which called for sensitive and careful dismantling.

“We are pleased to have played a key role in marking the start of this significant commercial and leisure development in Bolton.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophia Taha .