Pleasurama site cliff façade another loose bit

Below today's email to the council and the HSE, slightly modified to remove names.

“Unfortunately despite the work carried out on the cliff façade by TDC on 8th October (removing vegetation lose masonry from the portal blockwork on site and from the area either side of the site boundary at the eastern end of the site, see http://thanetonline.blogspot.com/2010/10/council-weed-pleasurama-cliff-facade.html ) more of the render has come away from the façade, I think over the last couple of days.

One again this is over the site boundary, so any of it that falls to the ground will do so from about 50 feet and probably land partly on the site and partly on the public highway.

There is a ledge immediately below the part I can see that has come away which may prevent part or all of it from falling to the ground, I would think this would depend on how far up the delamination extends.

As you know my concern is that the rapid deterioration of this part of the façade is due to the blocked drainage and damaged surface above it and my main concern is that water has entered this part of the cliff making its stability uncertain.

I am also concerned that both the council and the council’s advising engineers have a considerable vested interest in the cliff façade within the site boundary being shown to be in good condition. I am further concerned that any survey of the cliff by the councils advising engineers or the councils engineers after the main contract to repair and coat the façade would be influenced by the liability were the cliff to found defective.

I am also uncertain as to the situation relating to work on the site, by this I mean that all work on the site seems to have stopped since the weekend 2nd 3rd October when the piece of render fell off.

Is it your contention that it is safe to work on the site at the moment?

Picture above with the loose part outlined in red, clcik on it to enlarge, the render seems to be about 50 mm away from the brickwork behind, because the surface of the render hasn’t cracked this suggests that the delamination extends some considerable way up.

I am asking that you take the following action.

1 Cordon off and sign the effected area until the problem is investigated.

2 Institute a weight limit topside.

3 Investigate the localised area and remove the lose render.

4 Arrange for a full and independent survey of the cliff behind the site extending beyond the site to Augusta Stairs.

5 Please register this as official customer feedback.”