Structural Engineering Consultancy for the Refurbishment of Blackpool Tower

Value - £10m | Client - CH Surveying Limited

Clancy played a pivotal role in refurbishing the Grade I listed Blackpool Tower, one of the UK’s most iconic coastal landmarks, attracting over 20 million visitors annually. Built in 1894 and requiring restoration, Blackpool Council have invested £10 million over 10 years to preserve the striking 518ft tower. For the £1.5 million upgrade scheduled for 2025, Clancy, in partnership with CH Surveying, provided structural engineering consultancy, including temporary works design and construction details at RIBA Stage 4. 

The tower’s age, historic steelwork and exposure to harsh coastal elements demanded innovative solutions and close site support for safe dismantling and assembly. Clancy led the design of temporary works and construction information, overcoming engineering challenges to meet the requirements of a coastal structure, while conducting site surveys, producing fabrication details, and coordinating with the contractor, asset owner and technical advisor to manage on-site constraints. 

Clancy’s involvement accelerated project delivery and ensured safe execution on this complex structure. 

Challenges 

Extreme weather conditions 

Exposure to harsh coastal weather, including fluctuating temperatures, high winds and high salinity, accelerates corrosion and steel deterioration. 

Historic steelwork 

The original steelwork was not designed for future dismantling or maintenance, making interventions complex. Riveted connections are permanent and difficult to extract, and historic steel is harder than modern steelwork. 

The structure’s dense, interconnecting steel members result in frequent clashes and restricted access for repair. Decades of use have also caused some steel members and rivets to shift or distort, complicating extraction. 

Fully operational site  

The site remained operational throughout, limiting preparation time and requiring work to be scheduled efficiently to minimise disruption. Security, delivery restrictions and winter weather added further logistical challenges due to major events like Strictly Come Dancing taking place at the tower. 

Solutions 

Innovative design 

Provided bespoke structural assessments and step-by-step guidance for safe, efficient disassembly and reassembly.

Used 3D models and visualisations to identify clashes, streamline planning, and communicate complex sequences to the project team.

Developed custom spreadsheets for rapid, accurate analysis where standard assessment methods were inadequate.

Tight construction site support 

Supported the contractor with detailed construction sequence recommendations and additional design input, enabling improved construction strategies and reduced disruption. 

Results 