Lennon Studios, Liverpool John Moores University
Ensuring Safety and Security in a Historic Student Residence
Case Study:
Lennon Studios – Ensuring Safety and Security in a Historic Student Residence
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Lennon Studios, located at Liverpool John Moores University, is a student accommodation block built within a historically significant building — a former maternity hospital and the birthplace of John Lennon. This site holds immense historical value while also serving the modern needs of students, making it a unique and challenging project for Merseyside Scaffolding Company (MSC).
The client, Weatherproofing UK Ltd, tasked MSC with providing scaffolding solutions to meet the specific needs of this student residence while preserving the integrity of the building’s historical features.
Project Requirements and Challenges
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The project at Lennon Studios required scaffolding to accommodate a range of logistical and safety challenges:
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High Pedestrian Traffic: The site was located in a high-traffic area, with significant footfall due to the student accommodation's location on the campus.
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Restrictive Access: There was limited access for bulk deliveries, with only one designated delivery area available. From there, materials had to be manually dispersed throughout the site, requiring careful planning and coordination to ensure a smooth flow of materials without disrupting daily operations.
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Cantilevered Access and Roof Slopes: Safe access had to be provided to the upper roof slopes. The scaffolding had to facilitate this while ensuring pedestrian walkways were maintained through the base of the structure.
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Bridging Main Entrances and Service Areas: The scaffolding design needed to bridge key areas, including the main entrance and service areas, while avoiding interference with heritage signs and other sensitive elements of the building’s exterior.
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Security Requirements: The client requested full security ranch boarding around the perimeter of the scaffold base. The design needed to incorporate secure, lockable access gates to ensure the safety of materials and the surrounding environment.​
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Solutions and Methodology
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MSC, with its dedicated team of experts specializing in university projects, rose to the challenge with a tailored scaffolding solution. The company's approach involved the following key elements:
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DBS Checked Operatives: All operatives were DBS checked every two years to ensure the highest standards of safety and compliance, which is especially crucial in a high-traffic, sensitive environment like a student accommodation block.
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Bespoke Scaffold Design: MSC designed a custom scaffolding system to meet the site’s unique requirements, ensuring safe access, material distribution, and the preservation of the building’s heritage features.
Lennon Studios Site Specific Designs
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Efficient Material Delivery and Distribution: To overcome the access restrictions, bulk deliveries were made using articulated wagons and vehicle-mounted Hiab cranes. This approach allowed the team to safely and efficiently deliver large quantities of materials, despite the limited delivery area. Materials were then dispersed manually across the site by the scaffolding team.
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Secure and Safe Access Solutions: The scaffolding provided cantilevered access to the upper roof slopes and included secure pedestrian walkways through the scaffold’s base. Additionally, the scaffold design incorporated the full security ranch boarding and lockable access gates to meet the client's security needs, ensuring the area remained secure throughout the project.
Outcome and Results
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Merseyside Scaffolding successfully met the complex requirements of the Lennon Studios project. The bespoke scaffolding design not only provided safe access for workers and pedestrians but also ensured that the unique historical features of the building were preserved.
By overcoming access restrictions and delivering materials efficiently, MSC was able to keep the project on track while maintaining safety and minimizing disruption to students and staff. The secure, lockable access gates and ranch boarding provided the necessary security for both the scaffolding and the surrounding areas.
This project is a prime example of Merseyside Scaffolding’s expertise in managing the unique challenges of university projects, delivering tailored solutions that meet both practical and security needs while respecting the heritage of the site.
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