Aarsleff Piling - Mixed-Use Development - Stanmore, Aarsleff Supports Crest Nicholson Development
Date: 03 Aug 2006
House builder Crest Nicholson (Chiltern) is redeveloping the former British Aerospace factory in Stanmore, North West London into a large residential estate of 198 houses and flats, all supported on piled foundations. The vast majority of the properties, except for two blocks of 64 flats, will rest on fully reinforced precast concrete Centrum piles, supplied and installed by Centrum's parent and specialist driven piling contractor Aarsleff Piling.
The British Aerospace facility was demolished towards the end of 2005 prior to Crest Nicholson moving on to site around Christmas. Aarsleff followed on with the first of its two visits to supply, handle, pitch and drive around 1100 precast concrete piles. During the initial visit Aarsleff installed piles for the two show houses and returned to site later to complete the remainder of the driven piling.
For its approximate £300,000 contract Aarsleff is using one of its own Junttan PM20LC fixed leader hydraulic pilings rigs, with 5t hammer, to install the fully reinforced 250mm square section piles. These range between 9m and 16m long and are being driven to full length predominantly through clay to provide the foundation support for the structures. The piles are required to cater for working loads varying from 150kN to 525kN. Aarsleff worked closely on the pile design with Robert Winter & Partners who designed the piled foundations and ground beams. Architects for the scheme are Architectus and the consulting engineer is jnpgroup.
"The piling has gone very well and to programme," says Crest Nicholson project manger Joe Keppler. "There have been no problems with Aarsleff. They've just got on and done the job and would have no hesitation in using them again."
The project at Stanmore follows on from other piling work Aarsleff has done for Crest Nicholson, including the installation of more than 4,500 precast concrete piles over several years for the huge Ingress Park residential development at Greenhithe, Kent.
"Piling for housing developments represents about 60% to 70% of the company's precast concrete piling business," says Aarsleff Piling managing director Terry Bolsher. "But we are also able to offer our varied clients a comprehensive range of foundation project services, including design and installation of precast piles, steel sheet piles, steel bearing piles, timber piles and tubes."
The Crest Nicholson properties at Stanmore, for Housing Association and private sale, range from small flats to three, four and five bedroom houses costing up to £860,000. First properties are on schedule for occupancy at the end of October 2006.
A Centrum pile installed with the Junttan PM20LC rig
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