Newport Civic Centre & Clock Tower
Styles Façade Solutions® (formerly Thomann-Hanry®) was invited to carry out a public sector facade survey of the Civic Centre & Clock Tower after age and environmental exposure began affecting the building. Using MEWPs instead of scaffolding, the team conducted a hands-on inspection across three major elevations, safely removing or securing damaged stone that posed a risk to the public below.
The survey was completed in under two days, with the site set up, inspected and cleared each shift, all without scaffolding or drones.
A detailed, illustrated report followed shortly after, leading Newport Council to invite Styles Façade Solutions back to repair and clean the façade, restoring the Civic Centre & Clock Tower for the local community.
Solutions provided
AMSER AROLYGU YNG NGHANOLFAN DDINESIG CASNEWYDD (Surveying time at Newport Civic Centre)
With the first (built 1843) and second (built 1885) town halls for Newport found to be too small for the requirements of the city, it was decided to build a new, fit-for-purpose building on the former site of St Mary’s Lodge.
The lodge and its surrounding gardens had been donated to the town by Ms A. B. Watson. In 1937, King George VI – along with several local dignitaries - cut the first sod with a solid sterling silver spade (which can be seen in the Newport Museum). Designed by Thomas Cecil Howitt in the Art Deco style, construction was halted due to the start of the Second World War and resumed after the war.
Featuring a Portland stone façade, the building has 12 murals by renowned artist Hans Feibusch, installed following the completion of the 55-metre (180 foot) clock tower. The building finally opened in 1964. In 2002, Newport gained city status as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, and the building then became the headquarters of Newport City Council.
Styles Façade Solutions® carries out a detailed façade survey of Newport Civic Centre's iconic clock tower, a Grade II* listed landmark.
HANDS-ON SAFETY INSPECTION WITHOUT DISRUPTIVE SCAFFOLDING
As age and environmental exposure began to take its toll on the façade of the Civic Centre & Clock Tower, Styles Façade Solutions® was invited to perform a detailed safety survey to identify key areas which would need remedying during the scheduled maintenance programme.
With such a large building, the need for a scaffold-free solution was imperative, as due to its height and location, there were concerns about the safety and costs associated with scaffolding. Our team used MEWPs (Mobile Elevating Work Platforms) to conduct the façade safety survey, providing a physical, hands-on inspection of the building and tower, something which a drone survey would not be able to do.
Being able to get up close to the façade also allowed the team to remove or make safe any items of damaged or degraded stone that could pose a potential risk to people below. This safeguarded the council against public liability risks which would cause significant reputational damage.
RAPID DIAGNOSTICS AND LONG-TERM HERITAGE CARE
The survey team set up, inspected and cleared the site at the end of each shift, completing a full public sector facade survey across three major elevations in less than two days, all without the use of scaffolding or drones.
With the on-site façade safety survey inspection completed, our qualified façade surveyor produced a detailed, illustrated, and colour-coded report which was presented to the Newport Council facilities team within a few weeks.
Styles Façade Solutions® was subsequently invited back to make repairs and clean the façade, to help deliver a safe and impressively clean Newport Civic Centre & Clock Tower back to the local community.
“We are delighted to have partnered with Newport City Council to help them care for this impressive Grade II* listed building and keep it looking its best for many years to come. Using MEWPs, we have been able to identify those areas of the building which needed immediate remedial work, ensuring that time, money and effort will be spent on the key façade issues.”
Mark Styles, Managing Director, Styles Façade Solution
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