Albion Mill

Project Updates

The rear pathway working its way to the communal gardens
The top corner being formed Canal side
The scaffold used for loading kitchens into Block A
Curtain walling complete to front elevation Block A
Car Park looking towards Link and rear Block A
Top layer on pathway at rear Block B
Work commences on levelling ground to front of Link for patio and garden area
Aerial view of garden layout
Corridor within Block A
Communal Cafe / Lounge boarding our and plastering
Block B readying for flooring
Block A front - a much quieter site but we are still, luckily, progressing through the pandemic to complete the development
Internals progressing to Block B - suitably distanced
Decorators applying the feature wall paint as per the Interior Designer instructions to Intermediate Care rooms
This is the intended Hairdressing space which will have two hair washing sinks with multiple styling stations and space for nail bar
Intermediate Care corridor
Clearing and levelling rear of Block B to continue the pathway
The beginnings of the rear pathway
Looking good from outside too
Lower ground floor of Block B
Checking they didn't miss a bit!!
Front entrance doors being installed
Completing the curtain walling to Block B
Curtain Walling to Block A
Handrails being fitted within stairwells
Front doors being secured - The country goes into lockdown due to Covid-19 Pandemic
Block A apartments ready for boarding
Top floor corridor Block A
Flooring being laid Block B apartments
Kitchens complete with their tiling Block B
View from Lounge to Hallway Apartment Block B
Kitchen view from lounge area
Snagging the Hallway in socks!
Shower area in wet room
Corridors taking shape all boarded and plastered
Curtain walling to Block B
And again from Block A - the huge crane delivering stock to the roof of Black A can be seen to right of picture
View of externals of Link building with the double height windows to mezzanine and Communal Cafe area
View of Block B from driveway
Which then opens up into the Car Park area
View of rear Block A with scaffolding and crane
Very busy in the Car Park!
View from Albion Street
Top floor Block A
Lovely view from up high
Kitchens going in on lower floors of Block B
The shadowy figure in the apartment hallway is that of our Interior Designer Hiedi Lazenby
the towering structure of Block A from the car park area - thats a whole heap of scaffolding!
British Summer!!
The roof to Block B commences - high winds, driving rain, yup summer is here and proving hazardous!
The lads carry on with the internals whilst a lone Manager checks for safe working - spot the yellow dot on the roof!
The double height windows in the Communal Lounge are fitted
Stormy skies still in Blackburn and the dregs of a river of rainwater during the worst day through the car park area
View of the Communal Lounge taking shape
Plastering begins to the lower floors of Block B
The roof structure from below
The view of the Link Building, Canal side
The Link Building with Block A, Canal side
Windows and doors going in
The beginnings of the Library Area, the Activity Room, the Hair Salon and the Multi Faith Room - all will become clear!
The mezzanine floor now becomes interesting
and the impact of the fabulous double height window opening - it will be lovely once the building gear is out of the way!
Plaster boarding begin to lower floors of Block B
Huge crane lifting the concrete beams to upper floors of Block B - still looking stormy in Blackburn!
Around the other side of the Link building a van is parked in front of the double height window which gives a good perspective on how large the opening is
The front elevation of Block A - behind the mass of scaffolding!
View from Reception through the Link Building - the white poles indicate the mezzanine area looking down on the Communal Lounge
Closer view of the mezzanine area - when complete the Communal Lounge and Cafe area will be seen together with the double height windows overlooking the Canal
Typical floor area of one of the apartments
View of the Canal from one of the apartment bedrooms - fabulous when complete!
You do have to admire the brickies and sparks at this stage - there will be miles of cables to install and bricks of various sizes laid
Maybe a kind word for the scaffolders too - cor blimey!
Lift shafts to reception area - the Craft Room sits to the side of the lifts with the Communal Toilets to the right whilst the upper floors slabs are being placed
Brickworkers hard at it!
Internal insulation to the apartments
Followed by floor screed
And then there was light!
The plant installations begin - these will the meters for each of the apartments
View of formation of the Intermediate Care Level 0 from Level 1 Block A
Setting out the next floor to Block B - quite surreal in the hazy winter sunshine!
Ground floor of Link Building walls commence
View of the Canal and surrounding countryside from the top of the scaffold on block A overlooking the Link building
Block A joining Link building and apartment steelwork
The interior taking shape and the first fix begins
The New Year is a vague memory now and the weather presents some challenges!
A mass of scaffolding - or a lot! Not sure of the terminology! :0)
View of Reception Area from the Communal Cafe / Lounge area. The steel framework to the right is the double height window frame overlooking the Canal
Same view as above from a different angle - Reception area steelwork on top of previous piling area - steaming ahead despite the stormy skies!
The frozen Canal. Nothing to do with the build but very lovely through the fence!
Window frames at the ready!
Weather very bleak again in Blackburn - the walls are going great guns on both blocks
The interiors are being studded - although the rain still has access!
The apartments are beginning to take shape
The 'light and airy' corridors will be fabulous with some plaster and a coat of paint!
Car park view back to Link Building
View to rear of Block A with retaining walls in place - with Link Building to the right
The brick walls begin on Block A - there is a veritable army of brickies on site - although the camera angle is not so great!
Block A insulation and damp proofing going in
A closer look at the piles from the lower ground
The guys hard at work in the bleak weather
Floor slabs being laid to Block B
On 11th September Blackburn with Darwen Council (BwDC) together with Verum Victum Healthcare held a Foundation stone laying event at Brackendale Care Facility Mr Sayyed Osman (Director of Adult Services BwDC) spoke to a selection of invitees from both the Council, the service providers who would be using the scheme, members of the Local Community who are also invited to make use of the Communal spaces, i.e. the Cafe, the Activity Rooms, the Hairdressers, the Library etc., and to those residents of Brackendale who were kind enough to allow us to hold the Event in their Communal rooms
In addition to Mr Osman, there were words from Mr Neil Brown from Inclusion Housing who will be operating the scheme with BwDC
Our own Mr Roy Kenny
And there was an opportunity to meet with the Development Team to discuss the specification of the build. Below the Development Team from BwDC and the Council in their ceremonial gear (i.e High Viz and safety equipment) for the official stone laying by Mr Graham Burgess (Chair of Blackburn with Darwen CCG) and Roy Kenny (VVHC)
And the Design Team from Bardsley Construction, Condy Lofthouse Architects and White Young Green Quantity Surveyors
Concrete floor slabs to Block A being laid after foundations are set
Steelwork to Block A being erected and the upper retaining wall begins
Foundation laying to Block B (the lower block) with the steelwork for Block A visible top right
The Canal side elevation (what will be the Reception Area) with the steelwork for Block A top left
Setting out of Block A begins - the funny 'tubes' in the background are the piling stacks which will support the structure
The difference in the levels between the blocks begins to be more prominent with the trucks low in the distance
The tall machine in the background is the Piling Rig - this pounds the piles into the ground for the structure support as the picture above. A great machine to watch but make sure you have ear defenders on as they are seriously noisy!
The weather picks up in Blackburn and setting out is well underway
The clear up of the site begins for construction
Making way for the digging to commence
The Site Offices and facilities are erected
Machines breaking up and digging through the old Mill foundations not removed during demolition
These machines are seriously chunky and are situated where the Link Building will be placed, they show the difference on the ground levels of the site
Clearing the years of debris and vegetation prior to works beginning
Many of you may recognise this picture of the old Albion Mill, or some semblance of it! After speaking with some of the residents some will know it a little better and have some fond, and not so fond, memories
Prior to our interest in the property the old mill was no more
Just mounds of rubble and stone
and more than its fair share of not so memorable mounds...... as you can see from the pile of old tyres
And other things...... YUK!

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