Walkway Decking Remediation Across Three Blocks in Manchester with Alu Installations & United Infrastructure

We recently supplied our aluminium decking systems for a large walkway remediation project across three residential blocks in Manchester, on Stretford Road, Ripon Road, and Ripon Crescent, with our partners Alu Installations working alongside United Infrastructure to deliver the works. All three blocks were inhabited throughout, making programme management and on-site problem-solving all the more critical.

The scope of works required the existing non-compliant materials to be stripped out and replaced with a fire-safe aluminium solution across all three blocks. With walkways serving occupied residential buildings, getting in, getting it right, and getting out without disruption to residents was the priority throughout.

Alu Installations’ experience on projects of this scale meant the logistics of working across multiple blocks simultaneously were managed efficiently, with welfare provision, access, and sequencing all coordinated to keep the programme on track from the outset.

As the works progressed, a significant on-site challenge emerged. The walkways had been originally laid to fall, but the actual finished floor levels across all three blocks didn’t match the original drawings. Left unchecked, that discrepancy would have made it impossible to achieve the level access that residents needed and that building regulations require.

Rather than pressing on and hoping for the best, Alu Installations acted quickly. They assessed the finished floor levels across every block and worked directly with AliDeck to amend the pedestal heights, adjusting the subframe build-up to compensate for the variation and ensure level access was achieved consistently across all three walkways.

This is exactly the kind of issue that can cause significant delays if it isn’t communicated and resolved promptly. Because Alu Installations identified the problem early and worked closely with our team to find the solution, there was no downtime on site and no impact on the programme. In fact, all three walkways were handed over well ahead of schedule, a strong result on any project, let alone one spanning three separate blocks.

AliDeck’s adjustable pedestal system is designed precisely for situations like this, allowing build-up heights to be tailored to the substrate rather than the other way round. Combined with our aluminium decking boards and walkway-specific decking systems, the finished result across all three blocks is a non-combustible, slip-resistant, and low-maintenance solution that meets current building regulations and carries a 60-year design life.

For the residents of Stretford Road, Ripon Road, and Ripon Crescent, that means walkways they can use safely, with no combustible materials underfoot and no prospect of having to go through this process again.

This project is a strong example of what good partnership looks like in practice. Alu Installations and United Infrastructure kept the programme moving, communicated problems the moment they arose, and delivered ahead of schedule. AliDeck’s flexible aluminium systems provided the technical solution needed to adapt to real-world site conditions without compromise.

Three inhabited blocks made safe, and handed over early. That’s the standard we work to on every project.

If you’d like to see more projects like this, browse our full case study library, including our Corsica Street balcony remediation with Alu Installations and our Aldwych House project with Vesta Construction.