The 35-week project follows a £1.7m investment by the Council, which will transform a former storage depot site into 6,576 sq ft of floor space. The development is targeting a BREEAM Very Good rating, which will see a range of energy efficiency measures installed, including renewable technologies such as 78 photovoltaic panels on the roof.
The LST team has recently commenced construction of the new units and is also responsible for the associated services and external works.
The existing building has been demolished and the sloping site, which covers around 0.95 acres, has been bulk excavated by LST to obtain a level footprint for the buildings. After an analysis of the ground conditions, LST has also carried out soil improvement works to stabilise the subbase and enable traditional construction.
The near surface chalk was homogenised to increase its strength to a depth of 600mm below the underside of the hardcore slab. This was achieved by treating the existing site material with a specialist cement, which enabled the proposed piling scheme to be reduced from 119 pile down to just 54.
Robert Tuffin, commercial director at LST, said: “This contract builds on our long-standing relationship with Winchester City Council. We have worked closely with its designers to develop the most effective solutions to meet the energy efficiency requirements.
“Our sub-structure design, and the subsequent alterations to the piling, have reduced the amount of steel and concrete required for the build. This has resulted in less construction waste and fewer HGV movements to and from the site, improving the scheme’s environmental credentials.”
The former Bishops Waltham depot had been vacant for almost a year and a half. The new scheme has been designed to support businesses in the southern parishes of the district, providing high quality space in the popular market town.
