The Townscape Heritage Project for Cleethorpes, supported by National Lottery Heritage Grant funding, has approved the next funding application to undertake balcony restoration works to Nos. 42-45 Alexandra Road, which lie within the curtilage of the properties which are Listed Buildings.
This is the latest in the series of works to balconies and building facades in the same area as part of the heritage works in the resort.
This stretch of buildings on Alexandra Road consists of a terrace of several purpose-built shops with residential accommodation behind and above built between 1887 and 1906. There is a continuous balcony between numbers 42-47, with 46 – 47 being a later addition dating from the early 2000’s.
In this project, contractors CAG Builders will be working with cast iron conservation specialists, Calibre Metalwork to remove the balcony decking and the Victorian ironwork off site for full conservation repair and refinishing in heritage RAL colours before being reinstated. New concrete padstone foundations will be constructed below each of the balcony columns, and rainwater goods will be included.
This project will also address the failing concrete above No 45 Alexandra Road that is currently propped with scaffolding. The structure of the balcony decking frame and floor is one of the reasons for the current failure. At around 1900, concrete was a relatively new material. It is now known that the use of ferrous metal, mild steel and cast iron for instance, within a concrete structure presents a weakness if water penetrates the concrete. As the metalwork rusts it expands, which leads to cracking and spalling of the concrete, resulting in failure. This reaction is exacerbated in a marine climate with salty water leaking into fissures in the cracked concrete over time. It is thought that the concrete is a later addition and was not part of the original construction The concrete will be removed and replaced with a galvanised steel frame, with accoya timber soffit, a waterproof member under ekki timber decking boarding.
The project is likely to take around 4 months to complete. Hoardings will be put in place while the works are ongoing.
Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of the Council, said: “The work being done along Alexandra Road is absolutely stunning. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the property owners and their leaseholders for coming on board with this project and helping to restore our heritage.”
Carol Heidschuster, Townscape Heritage Project Manager said, “The conservation of this next block of balconies will see the culmination of significant stakeholder engagement between the property owners and their leaseholders, to bring the multi owner project forward as a single delivery project. These balconies bring the traditional heritage character to Cleethorpes and it will be great to see another block restored as part of this programme.”
The businesses will remain open during the works at all normal opening times.
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