Shepperton Studio South

Careys was initially engaged under a JCT Design and Build contract to deliver the enabling works package, first as principal contractor and subsequently novated to main contractor Laing O’Rourke. We were then awarded an additional offsite S278 highways works package direct to the client.

These include: site setup; formation of haul roads; extensive earthworks across the site (82,000m3 cut and 28,000m3 fill). Utilities include: design and installation of approximately 5,160m of multi-utility works, including water, contestable gas and electrical diversions; installation of communications infrastructure; drainage installation with connections to the mains in a live highway; 5,200m of surface water drainage and three pumping stations; an attenuation swale and headwalls.

Road and associated works in this package involve the construction of approximately 30,000m2 of roadways, 11,000m of kerbs, 11,000m2 of car park paving (including permeable) and 300m of footways. We have also installed timber and metal fencing and large areas of soft landscaping.

The offsite S278 works are taking place around the boundary of the Shepperton North and South Studio expansion. In addition to extensive traffic management and road construction (with kerb re-alignment, tactile paving, drainage improvements, service diversions, resurfacing work, signalling and signage), the scope involves improvement works to six live junctions, where we are constructing two new roundabouts, upgrading two mini roundabouts, realigning and signalising another roundabout, and altering a signalised junction. Junction 7 was a key tranche of the works, entailing highway and footpath realignment, mini roundabout transformation into a fully signalised junction, street lighting improvements, and services diversions, all to a limited programme to meet occupation of the expanded Shepperton Studios North West.

Close collaboration with all parties started at the earliest possible point, particularly in working with client-side project manager, Gardiner and Theobald, and designer Civic, the latter having been novated to us by the client. We also engaged with the incoming enabling works main contractor, Laing O’Rourke, as soon as Careys itself was novated to them, some five months before they started on site.

The juxtaposition of the various schemes and the potential traffic issues of working across multiple adjacent schemes concurrently meant close liaison with Surrey County Council. Our works at Junction 7 required early engagement with the Council to agree designs and traffic management proposals to minimise disruption at this busy three-exit roundabout. Temporary signal controls were effectively utilised in parallel to manual controls during peak traffic periods, and temporary bus stop relocations agreed away from the workface. Working collaboratively with the Council and incumbent street lighting provider ensured delivery to programme, including timely commissioning of the new traffic signals onto the Surrey County Council network.

The attenuation swale and headwalls involved both the Council and the Environment Agency, while utilities stakeholders have included: BT Openreach, Beacon Telecomms (for a MB&L mast-watching brief), Cadent, DPF, and Thames Water.

Careys has met the design and coordination challenges of following the client’s specified utility route and piling layout for the buildings. Our works involve laying 33km of pipes and ducts and the diversion of the existing mains gas and HV and LV electricity to facilitate the build. The site is laid out on a block-grid masterplan with utility corridors running north to south and east to west beneath excessively narrow access roads and piled building aprons, thus squeezing available space below ground to route trunk services and branches to the building plots. See below two CGIs from our model, demonstrating some of the complexities. Works also had to be coordinated with the Shepperton North Site, as it was necessary to tie into that site’s HV ring for the entire project. All required BREEAM parameters were met.

Multi-utility works comprise the design and delivery of some 5,160m of adoptable water, gas and HV electricity, as well as the infrastructure for the communications. Installation of the underground drainage system consists of 2,750m of foul water drainage, 120 manholes, 540m of rising main and two pumping stations with a mains connection in the live highway. We are dealing with three mains in total - for potable water, irrigation and fire. Contestable works for the service diversions of the medium pressure and low-pressure gas and HV consists of 340m of gas, 175m of LV and 325m of HV, as well as coordinating around the disconnections and diversions of interfacing contractors. We have also worked around a live high-pressure gas main and fuel main that serves Heathrow. The whole network will be privately owned but is being designed to adoptable standards.

The River Ash runs to the north, so the site is subject to a high water table. Surface water management and early installation of the swales, holding and settlement ponds are part of a wider plan to cover all eventualities. 5,200m of surface water drainage involves the installation of 190 manholes, five petrol interceptors, a rising main, a pumping station, six headwalls and associated attenuation.

Careys’ usual practices relating to underground services were in place, such as extensive trial hole excavations with information clearly displayed on site on mapping/ permitting boards and trial hole marker carriers. CAT and Genny training took place. Extensive training and provision was provided to all staff and contractors working on the site, and highly site-specific considerations had to be taken into account. Careys’ annual Achilles UBVD site audit was undertaken while trial holes to locate the sites services feeding the telecoms masts were being sunk and we were awarded a score of 98%.

In setting up the site, we reused approximately 150m3 of asphalt that was inherited as part of the site handover to lay the car parking and welfare areas. This equates to 960kg of CO2e, or the carbon sequestered by 16 tree seedlings grown for ten years. We installed some 1,800m of tree protection. We used a two-stage approach to strimming the vegetation. Whilst taking a significantly longer time than a tractor cut, this method is more sensitive to the wildlife in the area.

Working with our specialist environmental partner AAe, continuous testing and monitoring of soils, tracking of soil movements and reporting of information are all in line with Environmental Agency requirements. Feedback from the client’s appointed soils specialist on visiting to accept the soil preparation methodology has been highly positive.

With the offsite S278 works programme delivered in close proximity to residences, safety and disruption were key concerns. Dedicated resident liaison resource engaged with affected residents and ensured access, notably for those affected by footpath reconstruction outside their homes. A Section 61 approval was obtained in light of working hours and mitigation strategies to minimise noise and vibration impact.

The team were committed to supporting the Charlton village and nearby Shepperton communities throughout the works programme. Voluntary endeavours included sponsorship of local charities and repairs to potholes, outside of the works remit.