Aerated concrete discovered in strip-out of former Freshney Place department store

                                           

Strip-out of former department store premises revealed something unwelcome 

INVESTIGATIONS have revealed the presence of fragile Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete in Grimsby's Freshney Place shopping centre.

This is the material  which prompted the partial closure of  buildings at more than 230 schools in August 2023.

It is understood the discovery was made while contractors were stripping out the former BHS store in readiness for it to accommodate a new food hall at part of the grand Freshney Place regeneration project.

A less costly alternative to standard concrete, RAAC is quicker to produce and easier to install, but less durable  and susceptible to structural failure if exposed to moisture. 

The typical lifespan is around 30 years.

It is not known whether this form of substitute concrete exists elsewhere in the shopping centre.

A NELC report seen by the Grimsby News report states:  "Operationally, the centre had not previously seen a focus on maintenance prior to acquisition."