Riverside Building Structurally Secured In Cambridge

Situated adjacent to the River Cam in Cambridge, The Old Warehouse in Bridge Street required major structural stabilisation as its west elevation, which was built off the river wall, was separating from the main structure.

To secure the building and prevent further structural movement, the consulting engineers for the project, Hannah-Reed, specified a combination of systems from masonry repair specialist, Helifix Ltd.

As The Old Warehouse is registered as a ‘Building of Local Interest’ it required concealed repairs. Although external access was restricted by the river, the three storey timber framed brick clad building was undergoing a total refurbishment and conversion to student accommodation for St John’s College so internal working was not a problem.


To restore structural integrity to the building, Helifix Approved Installer, Smith Building Services of Kings Lynn, undertook the necessary repairs. Reinforced masonry ‘ring beams’ were created at ground and first floor levels using Helibeam system which involved bonding stainless steel HeliBars into channelled out mortar beds across the west elevation and returned along the north and south elevations. The vertical cracks were stitched were the elevations were separating and the river wall was tied to the ground floor concrete slab with bonded HeliBars. Horizontal stabilisation was completed by driving helical BowTies into internal first floor timber joists before bonding their out ends into the masonry walls.

With the concealed repairs completed, The Old Warehouse is now fully secured with any future movement of the west elevation towards the River Cam being prevented.