Slingsby Place, Covent Garden — Structural Redevelopment

A complex structural redevelopment in the heart of Covent Garden

Slingsby Place sits inside The Yards, a network of pedestrian courtyards between Long Acre and St Martin's Lane in Covent Garden. The project took an existing building back to its shell: a full internal strip-out and demolition, structural works behind retained façades, and the groundwork for a new frame — all on one of the most constrained sites in central London.

The works were led by Martin Hickey, now Craftex's Preconstruction Director, who directed the project from start to finish as Project Director.

Scope of works

• Strip-out and demolition — floors, partitions and internal structure removed floor by floor inside the existing building.
• Façade retention — the street and courtyard elevations held in place by a full-height temporary works and scaffold system while everything behind them was taken out.
• Structural works — new slabs and foundations formed at the base of the building, ready for the new structure.
• Tower crane installation — a tower crane erected inside the building footprint, with the mast and jib lifted in by a mobile crane from the street.
• Temporary works and safety — edge protection, access scaffolds and propping coordinated across every level of a live demolition.

The challenge: building in central London with no space

The site had neighbours on every side, pedestrian-only courtyards around it and some of the busiest shopping streets in London on its doorstep. There was no laydown area, so every delivery and every lift had to be planned.

• Crane logistics — the mobile crane for the tower-crane installation worked from the street under a planned closure, with traffic marshals and pedestrian management in place.
• Retained façades — demolition was sequenced so the historic elevations stayed supported at every stage.
• Neighbours and the public — noise, dust and access controlled around occupied buildings, shops and restaurants that stayed open throughout.
• Tight delivery windows — materials were called off just in time and moved through the site in planned sequences.

How it was delivered

Preconstruction came first: surveys of the existing structure, a temporary works design for the façades, a demolition sequence, and a logistics plan agreed with the local authority before work started. On site, one accountable team managed the demolition, structural and crane packages as a single programme, so the critical lifts and the structural sequence were never left to chance.

The result

The building was taken safely back to a stable, supported shell with its façades intact and a new structural base in place, ready for the new building to rise. Slingsby Place now provides modern office floors within The Yards.

The same preconstruction discipline now shapes every Craftex project. If you are planning a commercial redevelopment or a development project in central London, our team can review your site.