End in sight for '˜wind tunnel' safety work where Halifax man was killed

Work to combat the dangerous wind tunnel effect at Leeds's Bridgewater Place building where a man from Sowerby bridge was killed is entering its long-awaited final stages.
Edward Slaney, from Sowerby BridgeEdward Slaney, from Sowerby Bridge
Edward Slaney, from Sowerby Bridge

Overhead gantry-style barriers – technically known as ‘baffles’ – were put in position on Water Lane in October as part of the efforts to improve safety around the 32-storey tower.

But the closure of roads near Bridgewater Place to high-sided vehicles during last week’s Storm Eleanor served as a reminder that there is still work to be done at the site.

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A glass canopy and a number of vertical screens – designed to act in tandem with the baffles as a wind-deflecting system – are currently being installed around the landmark building.

A spokesman for Lendlease, the construction company handling the wind mitigation scheme for building owner CPPI Bridgewater Place, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Work on site is progressing well.

“The wind baffles were successfully installed over Water Lane in October last year and we are now in the process of erecting the vertical screens and glass canopy around the building.

“We are on schedule to complete the construction of the wind mitigation system by the end of April and would like to thank those living and working in and around Bridgewater Place for their patience throughout this important work.”

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The area around the base of Bridgewater Place can be gripped by the wind tunnel effect during stormy weather.

Pedestrian Edward Slaney, from Sowerby Bridge, near Halifax, was crushed to death by a truck that was blown off its wheels close to the building in 2011.