King Street West, Stockport
Client - Hargreaves Contracting | Project value - £2.6m | Developer - Great Places | Architect - Bowker Sadler Architecture
Mansell Building Solutions is engaged in an exciting new mid-rise residential development in the centre of Stockport. Located on King Street West, the project brings good-quality affordable housing to a location a mere minutes’ walk from the town centre and the groundbreaking Stockport Interchange transport hub.
The development is part of a larger initiative by Great Places to provide modern housing solutions across Greater Manchester. With Hargreaves acting as the principal contractor, the project features 73 apartments across four stories and showcases our expertise in delivering high-quality offsite construction and interior fit-out services within tight schedules.
Project Scope
Our main responsibilities were centred around the offsite production of the light gauge steel framing solution and its assembly on-site. This included all external and internal load bearing walls, all reinforced concrete floors, roof trusses, lift shafts, staircase and offsite permanent balustrades that significantly reduced the scaffolding requirements and enhanced site safety.
Alongside this central role, we’re also delivering the partitions, ceilings, passive fire protection and spray plaster finishing.
With work from both our on-site and off-site service streams, we’ve worked with precision and coordination not just between ourselves but with the main contractor and all the other sub-contractors on site.
Breaking down the key components of our work
Steel frame installation: The primary structural frame was erected over 18 weeks, forming the skeleton of the building upon which everything else is based. This part of the build was delivered on schedule, making good on the promise of certainty to the client and contractor.
Timber roof trusses: Following the frame installation, Mansell was responsible for installing the timber roof trusses, a vital part of the building’s final aesthetic.
Internal Partitions and Ceilings: We’re currently engaged with the first and second fix stages of the partitions and ceilings throughout the apartments, adding meat to the bones of the light gauge steel frame.
Offsite Balustrades and Stairs: By installing prefabricated balustrades, Mansell ensured a safer working environment, reducing scaffold requirements and mitigating fall risks during construction.
Key Challenges
One of the key challenges presented on the site came in the form of the topography of the site and a stepped setting out of the building. This site requirement meant we had to develop two split-level blocks to form the structure. More specifically, the steel podium that formed the foundation of the project had to accommodate the uneven ground. By engaging with the main contractor and Great Places at the early stages of the project we were able to deliver a workable solution without issue.
With a slight delay to the start of the project outside our control, we were able to remain on schedule, sticking to the 18-week programme for frame installation and meeting the agreed timelines.
Methods and methodologies that drive success and provide certainty
The prefabricated steel frames we provided for King Street West provided many of the benefits MMC is known for. Producing the frames offsite in our factory guaranteed quality control, reduced personnel on site and delivered a safer, more efficient working environment.
What’s more, we had a profound effect on the safety and efficiency of the temporary works on this project. The offsite-assembled balustrades we delivered helped reduce scaffolding costs and many of the leading edge risks associated with lifting the stairs and other structural elements into the frame.
Looking to the future
With work well underway at King Street West, practical completion is just over the horizon. As with all our work, the project is a great opportunity for us to showcase the power of our offsite framing solution and on-site finishing.
With our strong focus on efficiency, peace of mind and safety, we’ve added significant value to this up-and-coming residential project.
