Big nibbler for flats
The world's biggest nibbler machine has set to work demolishing five blocks of flats brick by brick in the heart of the Black Country.
The nibbler, which can go up as high as 170 ft, nibbles away at the buildings one wall and floor at a time and has gone on site in the Pleck area of Walsall.
It will be a time-consuming demolition job but is cheaper and much tidier than the more dramatic method of explosive demolition. It arrived a week ago, and is the biggest example of a nibbling machine in the world.
Built in Korea, it can extend to 51 metres – or 170 feet – in height.
It is a hydraulic-based vehicle and its impressive jaws can crush concrete easily. It will also help reduce the inconvenience of dust and dirt for people living near the site.
The nibbler machine has become a hit with children and adults alike for its methods with websites springing up for world-wide fans who enjoy watching its painstaking demolition work.
Contractors are making way for a new development of 223 new homes.
A team of ten trainees are also working with Walsall Housing Group's contractors Armoury Demolition.
The name of the new development is set to be announced during May.
At present six high-rise blocks are on the site. One block – called Scrimshaw House – will remain until next year, and from December current tenants in Scrimshaw House will be able to transfer to brand new properties on nearby Old Pleck Road.
The demolition programme will be completed some time in July 2008.
The new £20 million development earmarked for the site will feature a mixture of homes for sale by Bovis, and also properties for rent through WHG.
And Bovis Homes will provide high quality, energy efficient homes that meet the Housing Corporation's eco homes 'excellent' rating.
A total of 68 rented properties and 155 new homes to go up for private sale will be built on the land off Old Pleck Road and an adjacent site in Bescot Road under a three-year scheme, it has been revealed.
Liz Walford, WHG group chief executive, said: "This development will be a significant part of the ongoing regeneration of Walsall. We said four years ago we would be building new homes for rent, and this is further proof of us keeping those promises."
