How Crane Hire Supports Urban Renewal Projects Across the UK

Throughout the UK, our towns and cities are constantly in flux, as they adapt to the ever-changing needs of the urban population. New housing projects, green space initiatives and transport links all help to make city life easier and more comfortable, where this often means rejuvenating areas that have fallen into disrepair, or have been neglected in recent years.

This is where urban renewal comes in. Renewal projects of all kinds can help to revive a tired city, attracting new business opportunities and creating a better living environment for local residents.

In order to achieve this, a variety of construction tools and materials must be wielded, including all kinds of cranes. Crane hire services in particular are essential when it comes to the effective completion of an urban renewal project, allowing specialist work to be completed quickly and to a high standard.

Read on to find out more about how crane hire services can support all kinds of urban renewal projects across the UK.

What is Urban Renewal?

Urban renewal, also known as urban regeneration, refers to the process of redeveloping a deteriorated area within a city. Usually, this means rehabilitating or completely rebuilding old structures, in addition to creating new layouts and adding essential features.

As such, urban renewal work could involve building new houses and transport infrastructure, in addition to creating green space and developing leisure facilities. Many urban rejuvenation projects also have a financial goal, whether that’s in terms of attracting new industries to the area or boosting the local economy.

Sometimes, urban renewal projects can be controversial in nature, especially if they are seen to be displacing historic communities or erasing the architectural heritage of an area. In order to counteract this effect, urban regeneration projects should strive to include local residents from the planning stage, as efforts are made to uplift an area without being destructive.

How Crane Hire Can Help

All kinds of building teams and contractors that are enlisted to support an urban renewal project will need to depend on hire services to get the job done. Crane hire means that specialist, high tech equipment can be accessed on a flexible contract, allowing for project deadlines to be met in an affordable and timely manner.

In particular, crane hire can help with the following aspects of urban renewal work:

High Rise Construction - When it comes to erecting skyscrapers for office space or for residential use, cranes are indispensable. They allow for materials to be elevated to extraordinary heights, all whilst maintaining strict safety standards.

Transport Development - Creating new transport infrastructure requires lots of heavy lifting, where this can be completed with the help of cranes. This equipment can be used to lower materials into excavated spaces, or to assist with the installation of electric wiring above the ground.

Restoring Historic Area - Cranes can also be used to ensure that historic areas are preserved whilst building work is carried out. They can lift materials over buildings whilst navigating narrow streets, helping to protect important architectural features.

Creating Green Space - Developing a new park or green space may involve the installation of prefabricated pieces, as well as the manoeuvring of large trees and shrubs. Cranes can be utilised to ensure that these heavy lifting tasks are completed with care and precision.

Brownfield Site Work - Brownfield spaces are areas of previously developed land that are now abandoned, where cranes can be used to remove contaminated material and carefully demolish existing structures.

Choosing the Right Crane

When it comes to choosing the right crane for your project, there are several factors that should be considered. Some of these include:

●     Lifting capacity - How much weight does your crane need to be able to lift safely? What are its load limitations?

●     Crane arm reach - How far does your crane arm need to reach in order to accomplish the goals of your project?

●     Site terrain & access - How accessible is your building site? Does your crane need to be suitable for off-road conditions?

●     Safety considerations - What do you need to consider during the project to ensure that the crane is used safely?

●     Environmental impact - How can you minimise the environmental impact of your crane on the surrounding area?

●     Cost factors - How tight is the budget for your project? What kind of crane can you afford?

Benefits of Hiring vs Buying

Hiring a crane brings with it a number of benefits, compared with purchasing this kind of specialist equipment outright. For instance, hire contracts are often more cost-effective than paying a large sum up front, where you can also save on associated storage and maintenance costs.

Additionally, hiring your crane gives you access to a range of different specialist models, so you can utilise a variety of machines throughout your project. Your crane hire team will also be able to advise you on which model is right for the task at hand, ensuring that your construction efforts are successful.

Urban renewal projects often evolve and change as they progress, where a flexible hire package can help to ensure that all building work is delivered on time. This kind of flexibility can help large projects to stay on budget, ensuring that important deadlines are met at various stages.

Top Urban Renewal Case Studies

In recent years, a number of major cities across the UK have committed to large-scale urban renewal projects, bringing a variety of benefits to their local residents. Two such examples are discussed below.

Liverpool 

Since it was named as the European Capital of Culture in 2008, Liverpool has undertaken a variety of urban regeneration projects in order to live up to its name.

The city boasts a number of successful projects, including:

Knowledge Quarter - An inner-city regeneration project that focused on improving education opportunities in the city centre. The area is now home to the Royal College of Physicians and three Liverpool universities.

Liverpool Waters - A housing-focused regeneration project that has worked to introduce five new neighbourhoods into Liverpool’s thriving city centre.

LiverpoolONE  - This is a large-scale outdoor shopping centre that has brought lots of private investment and retail opportunities to the city.

Manchester 

The city of Manchester has seen the completion of a number of regeneration projects in recent years, helping to establish the area as a top economic hub.

As a result, Manchester was recently voted the UK’s best place to live by the Global Liveability Survey, a sign of good quality healthcare, education and cultural opportunities.

Key urban renewal projects in Manchester have included:

Spinningfields - A sizable development in the city centre that involved the construction of top office spaces, and attracted more than 150 financial and commercial investors to the area.

MediaCityUK - This famous £2 billion project transformed Salford Quay’s disused docklands into a TV and entertainment hub, a scheme that has attracted the BBC to the area.

NOMA - A popular mix-use development in the city centre, which has created a number of attractive residential, office, retail and leisure spaces.

Northern Gateway Redevelopment - This ongoing project involves the creation of new leisure spaces in the city, as well as convenient transport links and public facilities.

Macsalvors: Crane Hire Services You Can Trust

At Macsalvors, we understand the crane rental business, which is why we’re trusted by countless project managers and contractors for the completion of high stakes projects.

If you’re planning an urban renewal initiative, then our team can offer you an industry-leading range of crane models to help you to get the job done right. Whether you’re looking for mobile crane hire, or all-terrain options, our experts will be able to guide you through the entire rental process.

Renowned for our exceptional customer care and high quality equipment, you can depend on Macsalvors to supply only the very best cranes. Get in touch with us today to find out more about our plant hire solutions, now available across Devon and Cornwall.