Robot team goes where the builders fear to tread

A FLEET of robots has been hailed as the "unsung heroes" of a major building project.

The wireless-controlled robots work in very small spaces and even crawl up stairs - meaning human builders do not need to enter dangerous buildings.

The robots are being used to demolish a building in Princes Street in Edinburgh.

They are breaking down the walls and floors of the old Marks & Spencer building at 91 Princes Street piece by piece to make way for a new Primark store.

Contractors said it was a difficult project because the building was narrow and flanked by two historic properties. About 150 tonnes of rubble and steel is being removed from the site every day.

Barrie Henderson, the site manager, said: "Most people don't see the full extent of the work that actually goes into a project like the Princes Street Primark store. I think it would come as a surprise to many shoppers in Edinburgh to find out that there is a team of robots behind the scenes that are busy bringing down the building.

"It's always important to minimise danger and ensure that everyone on site is as safe as possible, so these machines are perfect for this. They reduce the risk of injury, and ensure that we can safely control the number of people who are physically working on the site at any time.

"The robots have already deconstructed two-thirds of the building, and we are on course to begin the next phase of the project."

The robots are operated by demolition contractor Safedem, which has four of the machines positioned for use on the Primark site.