Crane brought in to remove Raac from venue's roof

A 130-tonne crane has been brought in to remove potentially dangerous concrete panels from a venue's roof.

The Sands Centre in Carlisle has been closed for more than a year after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) panels were found in the auditorium's roof.

About 200 tonnes of the concrete will be removed from the building over four to six weeks.

Mark Fryer, leader of Cumberland Council, said the arrival of the crane was a "significant milestone for the project".

"The Sands is the region's premier venue and the investment in the new roof and the works planned for the auditorium will ensure it is the venue of choice for our residents and wider audiences," he said.

The work is set to begin in the new year and is being carried out 14m (46ft) above ground level.

The removal process will be weather dependent and can only be carried out when the wind speed is below 7m (23ft) per second.

Once removed from the building, the concrete will be delivered to a recycling yard in 20-tonne wagons, where it will be crushed and mixed to make ballast.

The council is also making a number of internal refurbishments to the site, such as replacing the seating and upgrading the ventilation, fire alarm and lighting systems.

After the auditorium closed last year, GLL, which manages the venue on behalf of the council, moved its classical concert programme to The Sands' sports hall.

The council aims to have the roof works completed by mid 2025.

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