A Multi-Disciplinary approach to driving growth in the Industrial & Logistics sector

Our growth in the industrial and logistic sector continues, as work on the £30m redevelopment of MLM Crayford with Stoford Developments Ltd reaches its final stages.

This brownfield redevelopment includes the construction of three new industrial and logistics units, including Grade A office space, and a five-storey split-level multi-storey car park building.

With the project expected nearing completion, the latest milestone was the erection of the hot rolled steel frame for the final unit, multi-storey car park and adjoining link-bridge.

Located off Thames Road in Crayford, London, it is a key site close to the Dartford Crossing, one of Europe’s busiest crossings which spans the River Thames between Thurrock and Dartford, linking the M25 motorway on either side.

A multi-disciplinary approach was required for the project, with our civil, transport, geo-environmental, and structural engineering teams contributing their expertise, alongside our project partners Webb Gray Architects and Trinity Property Consultants.

Our civils team developed the design for the site-wide drainage strategy, levels, external yard slabs, access roads, S278 works and the above ground car park drainage. Our support also included assurance that the site-wide drainage strategy was sustainable and compatible with local authority and national requirements, considering allowances for climate change.

A full superstructure design, the design of retaining walls, retaining wall bases and superstructure design intent for tender was completed by our structural engineering team. With part of the land earmarked for future extension of Crossrail, the site is constrained by several easements along key utilities and infrastructure. Our teams had to overcome these challenges with atypical foundation solutions within the permitted areas – without surcharging existing buried assets or encroaching into easements.

Our transport team undertook the transport assessment, contributed to preliminary site access designs, the stage 2 road safety audit, travel plan, traffic counts, and worked on junction capacity modelling to ensure that the redevelopment has a positive impact on the surrounding area and community.

Our geo-environmental team was commissioned as geotechnical consultant to assist with the design of the site investigation in conjunction with the environmental consultant, to ensure sufficient data was available on the ground conditions to design foundations and floor slabs. A geotechnical interpretive report was then produced based on the findings of the factual ground investigation. In addition, we produced an earthworks specification and a ground bearing floor slab settlement assessment.

Ground improvements in the form of Constrained Modulus Columns (CMCs) were designed by a specialist contractor to enable ground bearing foundations and floor slabs for various units where made ground prevented the use of traditional foundations, also providing cost savings over a piled solution. The team then carried out a review of the specialist design.

With great progress being made in the final stages of development, we’re looking forward to seeing the scheme complete and ready for use over the next couple of months.

You can read more about our previous project work on our website.