Three Sisters tumble

Mary Jepson sees demolition get underway, with local Councillors, Terry Linden and Lil Murphy

Demolition of the three tower blocks on the Langley estate in Middleton, known locally as the ‘Three Sisters’, is underway. Clearing the site will prepare the ground for future development.

Heywood-based demolition contractors PGC Demolition are taking extra care to pull down the buildings without causing inconvenience for their neighbours. With so many other buildings close by, blowing up the blocks wasn’t an option.

All of the internal fittings in the blocks have been stripped out, together with wood and other materials. What remains is the concrete and brick shell.

Peter Cordwell from PGC Demolition said: “We’re taking down the blocks from the top down, using a high reach excavator that ‘nibbles’ gradually at the building. The operator is on the ground, but can see what he’s doing through a remote controlled camera. As the height is reduced the bricks and beams collapse in on each other.

“The excavator is the biggest of its kind in the country, and arrived in three pieces to be put together on site. Each tower will take about a week to come down, after which the foundations will be broken up and the voids filled in.”

PGC will be able to recycle or reuse as much as 98% of the materals removed from the site. Wood can be chipped and used in other building materials and crushed concrete and bricks might be used as hardcore in construction or road building projects, or made into other items. The glass from the windows can also be recycled.

Former tenant of the Millbeck tower block, Mary Jepson saw the demolition get underway. Mrs Jepson said: “I’m pleased to see the blocks come down. Watching the demolition is fascinating, they’re taking care to do a good job. The machine even sprays water to keep the dust down.”