Soft Strip Demolition & Asbestos and Lead Removal, Tilbury Riverside Station, Essex

Spectra were commissioned to conduct soft strip demolition, asbestos, and lead removal at Tilbury Riverside Station in Essex, a historic Thames estuary transportation site. The project demanded meticulous coordination among various specialist teams within an older structure, where decades of legacy materials posed several hazardous material risks before the planned refurbishment.

Our team started with a careful soft strip of the affected areas, methodically removing fixtures, fittings, and non-structural elements to expose the underlying building fabric and enable hazardous material works to proceed safely. Asbestos-containing materials identified during the pre-works survey were removed by our licensed operatives under full CAR 2012 controls, with enclosures established, four-stage clearances completed, and asbestos air testing carried out throughout to safeguard both the workforce and the wider station environment. Lead removal, a common legacy issue in older transportation and industrial buildings, was managed as a concurrent workstream, with appropriate controls in place to prevent contamination of surrounding areas. Throughout the project, works were phased and carefully managed within the operational constraints of a live transportation setting, ensuring safe access and minimising disruption at all times.

The combined programme of soft strip demolition, asbestos removal, and lead removal was completed safely and in full compliance with all regulatory requirements. The site was handed back clear, certified, and ready for the next phase of works, providing the client with programme certainty and a fully documented audit trail for all hazardous material activities.