Cawarden demolishes the former Abbotsfield and Swakeleys Schools in Hillingdon, London, to make way for a new school campus.

Abbotsfield and Swakeleys Schools were made up of fourteen 1 to 2-storey blocks built between the 1950s and 2005. Most of the blocks were in poor condition, and the way they were arranged was generally unsuitable for the buildings’ function. The school was identified as a potential site for redevelopment as part of the national initiative ‘Building Schools for the Future’.

As a specialist sub-contractor working on behalf of Bowmer & Kirkland, our client, Cawarden was tasked with demolishing the two existing schools to make way for a new school campus.

After a large-scale asbestos removal operation and soft stripping of the building’s interior, we moved on to the demolition works. The building was constructed using a variety of materials, including concrete, brick, steel, and pre-fab. Controlled mechanical demolition techniques were used to bring down the buildings, and all slabs, foundations, and hardstandings across the site were removed.

On-site crushing helped to reduce vehicle movements and left the client with over 10,000m³ of clean, certified 6f2 which could be reused in the new development.

To enable the schools to continue operation throughout the works, temporary school facilities were located in the centre of the site. All key processes and procedures, including a detailed Health & Safety plan and noise and dust monitoring, ensured that there was no impact on the quality of teaching and the students’ learning.  

We are proud to have helped to pave the way for an important national initiative that seeks to support and maintain high-quality educational opportunities and life choices for children.