BE Design

BE Design is providing design services for 3 high-quality, speculative logistic centres on a 21 acre site. Our Engineers have worked closely with Michael Sparks Associates and Buckingham Group Construction to deliver a visually attractive development, standing on Reading's A33 gateway site, which also has convenient links to Junction 11 of the M4.... BE Design was involved at a very early stage of the site's development to provide professional advice on the most appropriate way to deliver the proposed logistics park. Challenges facing the delivery team included the site's former domestic landfill use and its close proximity to the River Kennet. Additional challenges include a number of ecological issues, largely the resident populations of Slow-worms and indigenous White Clawed Crayfish. Our engineers specified a comprehensive ground improvement solution to minimise future settlement, whilst optimising the cut and fill element of the construction to avoid the costly and time consuming removal of any contaminated materials off site. The design had to allow for a floor slab loading of 50kN/m2 for each of the 1m high units. he team also had to take into consideration measures to mitigate surface water flooding on the site as all surface water discharged into the River Kennett. This had to be within the Environment Agency's and Reading Borough Council's stipulated discharge limits to further protect the area's ecological life and sites downstream. To achieve this and protect the local ecology, BE Design's solutions included using a proportion of the site's materials to create reinforced earth slopes, forming a swale to balance water-flow and form an open spillway that fed directly into the River Kennet to create a new habitat for the Crayfish. BE Design is pleased to be involved in the delivery of Island Road's logistic park development. Each unit has been designed to achieve a BREEAM rating of 'Very Good' and is supported by self contained yards, acoustic fences and extensive parking, all set within an attractive ...Read More