Birnam Crescent, Bearsden,
CALA Homes

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Birnam Crescent was an extensive enabling works contract to increase site levels and create the required development platform for 20 new homes for major UK housebuilder, CALA Homes.

Our works were designed to minimise the large import of materials required to construct the development platform. Existing soils on-site were not suitable for house foundations, and therefore the soft formation soils were modified prior to up-fill to eliminate the requirement for piling. Soils were also modified beneath the required retaining walls to achieve a suitable founding horizon.

PROJECT CHALLENGES / GDL SOLUTIONS

• A very tight site located within a well-established residential area meant that it was essential to adhere to site working hours, ensure that communication lines were open and disruption to the local community was kept to a minimum.
• Access to the site was via a very busy main road so it was essential that deliveries were minimised and that all vehicle movements were directed via our robust traffic management system.
• Working alongside archaeologists meant that we had to be flexible with our programme and working areas had to be co-ordinated to suit their ongoing works.
• A phased handover of the completed plots to the follow on contractor allowed early foundation construction.

PROJECT BENEFITS FOR CLIENT

• Our solution removed the need for piling and allowed the houses to be constructed on strip foundations which provided a cost-effective solution for our client.
• Modifying the site-won soils diverted 9,184 tonnes of soil from landfill (the equivalent of 459 truckloads). If this soil had been removed, it would also have needed to be replaced with imported stone. This was not needed, therefore a further 459 truck movements and loads were saved, generating a total saving of 918 truck movements and loads – maximising this project’s efficiency and our green credentials.