Berkeley Homes Green Quarter development gets unique pedestrian stair pod solution

Pump Lane, known as the Green Quarter development, is an exclusive regeneration project In West London. Transforming a former gasworks site and ex-airport parking space into a green, sustainable, community focused housing development. The development, being undertaken by Berkeley homes, focuses on green open spaces and biodiverse habitats for the reclamation of nature.

Due to limited space on the construction site, Berkeley Homes contacted Mitchell Bridges for a solution that could be installed quickly and in limited space, allowing their site staff to cross the access road between the construction site and site compound. This is where Mitchell Bridges were able to offer their construction site ready stair pod solution.

Berkeley Homes

When constructing a major new housing development, site layout and utilisation of available space is a major headache for companies such as Berkeley Homes who are large scale housing developers specialising in brownfield regeneration. To get the best out of their project and the best for their customers, careful planning and consideration of every inch of a construction site is vital. The Green Quarter project, an 88 acre green housing development, will be one of the largest and most biodiverse developments in the UK and as such, construction site space is at a premium.

As the construction site has developed, a need for a temporary bridge was evident for the quick and safe passage of site operatives from the site compound onto the construction site, whilst maintaining restricted access to the general public. As such, Berkeley Homes contacted Mitchell Bridges to investigate a solution that could be installed quickly whilst maintaining a relatively small overall footprint on the construction site. Mitchell Bridges were able to offer their unique stair pod access, which houses a staircase within a 3m x 5m plan area. This was put together with our 24m box girder deck unit to span the existing access road and our standard main tower and stair units on the site compound.

Mitchell Bridges vast experience and unique ability to cater for complex challenges meant that they were able to offer the product, undertake the design and subsequently install within a 7-week period.‍

Making the most of what you've got

Berkeley Homes approached Mitchell Bridges with a number of fundamental issues that they needed to resolve:

• Site staff needed to cross the access road safely
• Public safety had to be maintained
• Minimal disruption to ongoing activities and to new residents
• Limited space

Mitchell Bridges has encountered a number of similar scenarios and they were able to quickly identify the best solution, their unique stair pod accesses. This type of access is superior for construction sites, with a small plan area and easy installation process, It was the perfect fit for the client’s needs and allowed them to get a safe crossing installed at short notice that satisfied all of their requirements.

Why Berkeley Homes chose Mitchell Bridges

Within a short consultation with Mitchell Bridges, Berkeley Homes were able to ascertain that they had the best possible solution for a temporary bridge. Mitchell Bridges were able to offer a 7-week period to design and install the bridge, which ultimately won them the contract.

Another key reason that Berkeley homes decided to work with Mitchell Bridges was their unique offering for a pod style access stair solution. This solution has a much smaller overall footprint than a standard stair solution and is superior in a construction site context due to its compact design.

How Berkeley Homes used our bridge

The bridge has been used to provide quick and safe access for Berkeley Homes construction site staff from their main compound area to the building site. The bridge separates the site operatives from the new thriving community that is beginning to thrive as owners begin to move into parts of the site that are already complete. This is a key feature for health and safety and allows those owners to move into their new homes whilst work is still ongoing.

The results

The bridge install was a complete success, with the main elements and craneage all being complete within the single day on site and handed over ready for use the next day following our final Inspection and walkover with the client.

Need a temporary bridging solution?

For further information on the Mitchell Bridges 18m U-Frame Temporary Bridge or any other temporary bridging solution, please get in touch.

Email enquiries@mitchellbridges.com or speak to Chris Mitchell on 01962 885040.

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