2024 Heathrow project update

Hughes and Salvidge have had a permanent on-site presence at London Heathrow Airport for over 20 years, supplying demolition services across an array of projects. We combine professionalism with expert management of service clearances, traffic logistics, waste management, and health, safety and environmental controls. 

As part of our commitment to Heathrow, we are continuously bidding for projects on site which are put out to tender by companies such as Ferrovial, MACE, Costain, Dyer & Butler and UKPN, who coordinate large projects and bring in specialist providers such as ourselves to undertake various elements of the work. We have also started taking on new projects as Principal Contractor (PC) and will deliver Project Regis, the former Gate Gourmet building on the southern perimeter road as PC.

Some of our current Heathrow projects include:

• Starlight Point - we are now past the halfway point of this intricate, 10-month project. Starlight Point is a purpose-built collection of over 300 portacabins which were built up to create large-scale office space for a number of contractors working in and around Terminals 1, 2 and 3. This structure came to the end of its life and needed to be dismantled, and Swain Lifting Solutions were employed as the lifters. We were appointed to the role of Project Manager due to our extensive experience in airport demolition, and we are responsible for the overall running of the project as well as all client liaison. Completion of the project will be early September this year.
  
  

• We have been appointed to carry out the demolition of some of the control posts - security areas to facilitate getting vehicles and people airside - at the airport car parks 12,18, and 19. We will be working in partnership with MACE, with the work due to start in early September 2024. We have been instructed to demolish three control posts at present, with a further two in the pipeline.
  
  

• We have been appointed Principal Contractor by AIPUT, an airport-related logistics company, at the former Gate Gourmet site (Project Regis) for the main demolition of the building and associated service disconnections. 
  
  

• We have won the contract to undertake a soft strip of Terminal 1 for Ferrovial, an infrastructure company leading the project. The reason for this soft strip is the start of the main demolition of Terminal 1; we are undertaking these enabling works with a view to bringing down the entire structure in the coming years.

Our Heathrow Team

Operations Director, Danny Byng, oversees the Heathrow operation, with Project Manager, Conor Taggart, who is permanently stationed at Heathrow, heading up the team on the ground. The team consists of 10-15 staff members, who are called upon as and when needed. Jim Stevens is the Starlight Point Supervisor, overseeing the project in its entirety. Our teams hold both airside and landside passes, meaning we’re able to provide services on both sides, which is a unique and valuable offering.

Meet the Team: Conor Taggart 

Conor joined the Hughes and Salvidge team as a Project Manager in January 2024, bringing with him a wealth of industry experience. He is responsible for the project management of all sites within our Airports Division. Based at our Heathrow Office and working in collaboration with multiple stakeholders across the Airports sector, he has worked on a variety of projects including demolition, rebuilds, strip-outs and high-scale maintenance/refurbishment. Prior to joining Hughes and Salvidge, Conor worked as Site Manager and then Senior Site Manager for several other prominent construction companies, including alongside Danny as the PC for Balfour Beatty when Hughes and Salvidge demolished Pier 3 Terminal 1, building great experience and knowledge.

Past Heathrow Projects

Europier Redevelopment

The Heathrow T2B Phase2 Europier Truncation demolition project was awarded to Hughes and Salvidge by Balfour Beatty Construction through competitive tender.

The centre element of the pier needed to be left in situ and operational, with the wing sections being removed. We identified an alternative method of deconstruction for this project, whereby instead of dismantling the pier section by section, we devised a method of lifting the entire roof sections by crane at night for processing on the apron level during the day.

Working at night proved to be a quicker and more cost-effective solution (as the airport has stringent controls for working airside), which saved two weeks on a 20-week programme.

As always, safety was of paramount importance. BAA Capital Projects Safety Advisor said: “The demolition of the pier roof by Hughes and Salvidge was a very professional, well-planned operation.”

Former Old Control Tower

We were awarded the demolition of the Former Old Control Tower - a 9-storey building - to make way for new roads as part of the Terminal 2 redevelopment. The works had many constraints due to the location of the building. Situated within one of the world's busiest airports, adjacent to Heathrow Airport Central Bus Station and with high temperature hot water (HTHW) mains running in ducts under the entire structure including the footprint of the tower.

Utilising our well-practised airport procedures, we minimise any disruption and protect the public, staff and airport from debris and dust. Prior to structural demolition, adequate approved methods of protection to the remaining HTHW mains were put in place. Before the excavator was allowed to carry out any demolition or removal of demolition arisings, the position of the duct was marked out to ensure that the excavator did not travel on this area. This was maintained throughout the demolition process. Vibration monitoring was undertaken within the ducts to continually monitor for any movement or impact. All works were completed safely and on time, without damage.

Heathrow Operations Director, Keith Cannin said: “Hughes and Salvidge completed the demolition of the Old Control Tower, which had many constraints that were critical to Heathrow’s existing infrastructure. For all the works they have carried out for us they have acted in an exemplary manner, with safety being at the top of their agenda. They are the best, safest and technically competent demolition contractors that I have worked with in my 30 years experience.“

Top airport demolition considerations

• Phased demolition
  We undertake our airport demolition projects in phases to keep disruption to a minimum for the client and those in the vicinity. By doing this, it means that the work is carried out in one focus area at a time, allowing operations to continue in other areas. It enables any noise and dust to be contained more easily, lessening the environmental impact. This approach also improves safety by isolating demolition zones and reducing risks.
  
  

• Off-peak works
  We often undertake work at off-peak times such as overnight - as we did on the Europier Redevelopment Project - to reduce disruption, decrease traffic congestion and enhance safety. This also allows us to get the work done with less disruption to the day-to-day running of the airport.
  
  

• Noise mitigation measures
  We take measures to minimise noise on our demolition sites to lessen the impact on the surrounding areas. These include constructing noise barriers, scheduling the noisier activities during less sensitive times of the day, and using quieter machinery wherever possible.
  
  

• Debris fencing / netting
  We install debris fencing and netting around our demolition sites to capture and contain debris and dust, minimising environmental impact and enhancing safety to our staff, our client and the public.
  
  

• Dust suppression
  Dust suppression involves the application of liquid to effectively restrict the airborne dissemination of fine particles. The water captures airborne dust particles, causing them to fall to the ground rather than disperse into the air. We utilise a dust suppression system that uses atomised misting equipment, which creates a water curtain, preventing the dust from being released into the air where it can become problematic.
  
  

• Continuous communication
  We communicate our project plans amongst our staff, to the customer and to any other parties that may be impacted by the project, to ensure that everyone is fully informed and knows what to expect every step of the way.
  
  

Please get in touch to discuss Airport Demolition Works with our friendly and knowledgeable team. You can also find out more about some of the Airport Demolition Projects we’ve assisted on.