Forum Tower - Masonry Removal

Westmorland and Furness Council requested WSP to complete a scope for intrusive works to the stair core known as the Forum Tower in the North-West corner of the Forum Building.

The building including stair core was constructed in the late 1960's and comprises a steel frame with masonry walls. The steel frame is encased in concrete over the lower levels. A concrete staircase and lift shaft are contained within the core and there are flat concrete slabs at roof level.

WSP and others have undertaken visual surveys of the structure generally and identified that water ingress and cracking is present throughout the masonry outer leaf, with significant corrosion to the steel frame within the masonry cavity, which may be leading to some of the masonry cracking, known as Regent Street Disease.

Intrusive work to remove masonry from the Forum Tower are now required to establish the full extent of defects to the steelwork, and specification of remedial repairs required to the steel structure, followed by rebuilding.

It is currently unclear whether the roof top car park will be retained as a car park or changed to maintenance only, however it is understood that the fire strategy requires all staircases to the roof top car park to remain, therefore the tower should be rebuilt once repairs or replacement are completed to maintain access to all levels.

A fee proposal to undertake remedial works by the contractor is now sought for the client's consideration.