27/01/2026
Alexandra Drive - From the Ashes
After the forensic team had determined the cause of the fire, it was time for the insurers & loss adjusters to enter the scene. During this lengthy period the clients had a difficult decision to make. Should they walk away from the development? Should they wait for the insurance payment before starting again? Could they afford to wait & expose an open building to the elements over another winter?
First of all the clients needed confidence that the building could be saved. In that respect we could assure them that it could. We have worked on projects before that at first glance would seem to be beyond salvation. Admittedly it would be how we first found certain structures to be, rather than having to restart mid project but the ability to see beyond the charred debris remains the same.
The following photographs show Royal Mills in Ancoats, Manchester. The collection of mill buildings had suffered years of neglect, vandalism, fire damage & partial collapse. Understanding the process of making the buildings safe, clearance, demolition & negotiating the Planning & Building Regulations requirements allowed the clients to make the decision to progress with bringing Alexandra Drive back to life.
These before & after photos of Royal Mills show just what can be achieved with such determination. The works were carried out under the FSP Architects banner where I worked as the Project Architect alongside English Heritage in the early 2000s.
