The recently established Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site contains a number of Grade II* listed buildings and significant industrial archaeology. Known as the Heartlands Project, the centre opened this April and has transformed 7.5 hectares of derelict land, preserving at its centre the historic Robinson's Shaft buildings of a former Cornish tin mine. These have been sympathetically restored, using Helifix structural repair systems, and adapted for re-use as focal points within the completed development.
Numerous derelict buildings of the old mine had fallen into a bad state of disrepair as a result of old age, fire damage, poor construction techniques and wall ties that had corroded and expanded causing significant structural cracking. The pump house, winding house, carpenters’ shop and transformer house all needed a variety of concealed, non-disruptive repairs that retained the original materials and characteristics of these important buildings.
The Helifix repair products and techniques were specified by MBA Consulting Engineers of Truro because they offered sympathetic and proven reliable solutions to the assorted structural problems Installation was undertaken by Helifix Approved Installer, TRAC Structural, who carried out extensive crack stitching, using stainless steel HeliBars bonded into the masonry, and secured separated walls and failed lintels and arches with grouted CemTies. Deep masonry beams were created using the Helibeam System which secured and reinforced the brickwork while also spreading the structural loads.
Once all the concealed structural repairs and stabilisation had been completed there was little visual evidence of the work that had been undertaken. The fully secure buildings were then able to be internally refurbished and either restored or converted for current usage, such as the new exhibition centre, to form a major part of the Heartlands sustainable community and parklands which celebrates local culture, heritage and the natural environment .
