PLANS have been lodged to build a mock structure at Leconfield which will be used to trial equipment which will later be utilised in the real-life demolition of a Sellafield chimney.
Copeland Council has received a planning application to build a 15 metre diameter concrete replica of a chimney at Leconfield Industrial Estate, Cleator Moor.
The structure, designed to imitate a chimney barrel, will be used to trial a one-of-a-kind hydraulic platform.
Following the tests, the equipment developed by ADAPT will be used in the demolition of the Pile 1 B6 Chimney at Sellafield.
ADAPT is a joint venture between Orano, Doosan Babcock and Atkins.
In supporting statements, ADAPT said: "This planning application covers the temporary use of Plot 19 for a period of two years whist the trials are carried out.
"On completion of the trialling, the site will be cleared and returned to a similar condition to its current state."
READ MORE: All the latest on the redevelopment of Leconfield Industrial Estate
They believe that using a plot at Leconfield for this work is fitting as the Industrial Estate will soon become the focus of the Industrial Solutions Hub – a project to make the most of the skills and innovation in West Cumbria’s nuclear and clean energy sector.
They said: "This proposal will make use of an unused area of the underused Leconfield Industrial Estate.
"We also feel that this development will in some way showcase the upcoming redevelopment of the Leconfield Innovation Quarter on this innovative project for our local nuclear site."
The specialist demolition platform will be delivered to the site in parts to be assembled and trialled.
Copeland Council has been told that the timeline for this work at Leconfield is as follows:
- Construct concrete mock-up approximately six weeks.
- Assembly of the platform, testing and trialling – three to six months
- Trialling of concrete cutting operations – three to six months
- Disassembly and removal – approximately three months
- Site clearance – four weeks.
ADAPT said that trialling of the specialist demolition platform, known as SPIDA, will be followed by the trialling of concrete cutting and removal of cut blocks from the mock-up chimney.
"The cutting of two rows of blocks from the mock-up will be carried out to prove the capability of all the equipment working together."
"For the duration of the use of plot 19, welfare facilities will be provided in the Forth Engineering building located adjacent to Plot 19."
READ MORE: 35 businesses express interest in populating Leconfield enterprise park
Share