General Demolition's contract with Bouygues UK at the North Middlesex University Hospital has been extended to include a major bulk excavation works programme at the site in Edmonton, north London.

More than 30,000 cubic metres of inert, non-hazardous and hazardous materials have been removed from an area totalling 15,000 square metres, partially vacated by the demolition of four existing hospital buildings.

At peak, 30 General Demolition site operatives performed the site excavation works with eight 360 degrees mechanical excavators, ranging in size from 11 to 60 tonnes. Excavated materials were segregated and disposed of accordingly, mostly to landfill, with a maximum of 170 lorry loads entering and leaving the site each day.


The work involved two main levels of excavation with the site level taken down to a maximum of four metres in some areas. Any obstructions such as old foundations, service tunnels and chimney foundations were broken out and new service trenches were dug. Materials were crushed and recycled and used to fill any voids. New piling mats were constructed and cropped to the required lengths.

The demolition and excavation works, which were carried out within the environs of a fully operational hospital, are clearing the way for the £118 million construction of a new main building which will provide facilities for accident and emergency services, diagnostics, in-patients, operating theatres and endoscopy.

The new buildings should be complete and fully operational by 2010.

(CD/JM)