Tayside House demolition work pauses for rail tunnel checks

Demolition of the podium block next to Tayside House in Dundee has been halted for checks to ensure there is no impact on the railway tunnel beneath the site.

The south wall of the former Tayside Regional Council meetings building holds up an end of the access walkway to Tayside House.

Under the land below the walkway is the tunnel of the Dundee-Aberdeen railway line. The tunnel was strengthened but any significant engineering work above the surface has the potential to affect it and train services.

A council spokesman said contractors Safedem are awaiting technical approval from Network Rail to take down the link walkway between the podium block and Tayside House which straddles the tunnel.

The demolition company needs to confirm certain requirements before proceeding with the next stage and that is why the structural core of the podium has been kept in place and demolition has temporarily stopped.

The buildings are being dismantled rather than blown up because of the nature of the site and the surrounding infrastructure.