CITY CENTRE WIND SLOWED BY SCREENS
Baffles will be installed at Smithfield
SPECIAL buffers are being installed to stop high winds that are predicted to be caused by the city centre Smithfield development – to keep pedestrians safe.
The ‘wind baffles’ will be put up in Broad Street, in Hanley, alongside the 11-storey apartment block that is currently under construction.
The perforated metal panels, mounted on columns, are designed to prevent wind drawn down the façade of the building from reaching dangerous levels.
The work to install the baffles – which is scheduled to begin today – will mean the road will become one-way for 10 weeks. Motorists will only be able to drive up from Potteries Way towards Marsh Street South.
Randy Conteh, cabinet member for housing, communities and safer city at Stoke-on-trent City Council, said: “Anyone who has ever walked near a very tall building might have experienced the downdraught effect, which is caused when air hits a building, is forced downwards and increases air speed at street level.
“We are looking to install six specially designed wind baffles on Broad Street to ease high winds, and prevent any cumulative impact on pedestrians in the area.
“We will do our best to make sure any disruption caused during the work is kept to an absolute minimum.”
The 151-apartment block is due to be completed by the end of this year, along with the neighbouring 140-room Hilton Garden Inn hotel.
Plans have also been lodged to install further wind mitigating features between the hotel and One Smithfield.
These will include a number of trees – around seven metres high – and several large planters.
The planning application states: “The purpose of the application is to resolve a number of wind safety exceedances that were identified through a series of wind tunnel tests carried out across the Smithfield development.”
Workers near the site welcomed the measures. Pam Armstrong, from Hartshill, is manager of Francesco salon in Broad Street. She said: “If they have found the wind is going to be a problem then it’s good that they are doing the work to prevent it before the buildings are finished. It will be an inconvenience for the road to be one-way but if the work needs doing, it needs doing.”
Senior stylist Fiona Eardley, aged 47, of Clayton, added: “It is a wind tunnel down here as it is. I think putting them in is a good idea – prevention is better than doing something after the event.”