Posted by Callum Vallance-Poole, on September 19, 2024.
Crabtree Manorway North, a new large-scale industrial estate in Belvedere, South East London, comprises three industrial units featuring offices and warehouses. The project, managed by Readie Construction, required an efficient stormwater solution to prevent flooding and meet the stringent runoff criteria set by the London Borough of Bexley. Additionally, the system needed to withstand heavy lorry traffic.
Given their successful history of collaboration, Readie Construction turned to GRAF UK for a versatile and sustainable solution. GRAF UK specified, designed, and installed a bespoke 900m³ EcoBloc Inspect Flex stormwater attenuation system. This system, consisting of around 4,500 heavy-duty attenuation crates, was designed to fit seamlessly around the concrete and metal foundations of the units. The modular EcoBloc system provided the necessary design flexibility.
Buried two metres underground, the EcoBloc crates have a gross volume of 205 litres each and are made from 100% recycled plastic. They are capable of supporting heavy lorries with a load-bearing capacity of up to 60 tonnes and are covered by a dense 1,000mm earth layer, making them ideal for this industrial estate.
The EcoBloc system was installed with a geomembrane to ensure effective attenuation, allowing controlled water release back into the natural groundwater reserves. The system includes three GRAF UK Vario 800 Flex shaft systems, which serve as inspection channels. These shafts, accessible for GRAF UK’s advanced camera technology, ensure the system operates at peak performance throughout its lifespan.
The installed EcoBloc stormwater attenuation system provides efficient drainage and flood management for the Crabtree Manorway North estate. It fully complies with the local authority’s discharge requirements of 9.7 litres per second. The modular design facilitated easy installation and integration with the site’s existing infrastructure.
Bill Lee, Project Manager at Readie Construction, praised the collaboration: “We’ve worked with GRAF UK on a number of projects now, and we’ve consistently been very happy with the results. Due to the nature of the installation, it was important to us to work with GRAF UK, not only because we trust their expertise but also because their products offer the greatest degree of flexibility. The modular EcoBloc stormwater attenuation elements can be made into any shape or size, and that was precisely what we were looking for in this particular case.”