Benchmark Scaffolding was engaged by Wates to provide a highly technical access and weather protection solution for the refurbishment of a Grade II listed building, presenting significant structural and logistical challenges. The project required extensive bridging solutions and a temporary roofing system, with design constraints dictated by the building’s heritage status and underlying vault structures.

A key complexity arose from restricted tie locations, limiting the ability to secure scaffolding to the building. Additionally, late-stage investigative works revealed the necessity for a second temporary roof spanning 32.5m, close to the roofing system’s maximum limit.

Further design iterations were required due to the discovery of underlying vaults beneath the pavement, which could not support the scaffold’s vertical loads. At low level, a heavy-duty bridging system was developed to span the vaults and transfer loads to the vault walls, allowing for structural justification of the scaffold’s foundation. With a five-month design phase and three major design adaptations, Benchmark Scaffolding successfully engineered a fully integrated scaffolding and roofing solution, overcoming heritage, structural, and logistical constraints while maintaining site efficiency and safety.