Polypipe
has supplied a wide range of its thermoplastic pipe products for foul water
management, delivering vital infrastructure to the innovative Graven Hill
project site in Bicester, Oxfordshire.
The
Graven Hill project is set to become the UK’s largest self build community,
offering plots for 1,900 homes across the site, with accepted planning for
further developments including a primary school, pubs, and convenience shops.
The
site, located on 188 hectares of land formerly owned by the Ministry of
Defence, will provide purchasers with the chance to build their own home, with
a focus on energy efficient materials, modular construction methods, and
contemporary design.
As the
UK’s leading manufacturer of sustainable drainage and water management systems,
Polypipe worked with project partners to deliver a more durable and
cost-effective alternative plastic solution to the original clay and concrete
system specified.
Following
their previous positive experiences with Polypipe, contractor Careys
Civil Engineering recommended that the original design specification be changed
to a thermoplastic solution incorporating Polysewer and Ridgisewer. Polypipe’s
technical experts assisted with any queries about the manufacture and
installation of the alternative system, and highlighted the advantages that
plastic could deliver over traditional materials.
Polypipe’s
plastic systems are able to offer increased health and safety on site, as
thanks to being lighter in weight than concrete, they are easier and quicker to
install.
Made of
long-life PVCu, the structured wall pipes offer ring stiffness and strength,
while ensuring flexibility to allow for ground movement and differential
settlement. Polypipe’s plastic products can be manufactured to exact
specifications for each individual project, and delivered at the time they are
required, reducing installation and labour time on site.
The
plastic solution for the Graven Hill project was successfully adopted by the
local water authority, with the final design showcasing Polypipe’s water
management product range.
The
solution included a system for foul water management using over 2,250m of
Polypipe’s Polysewer and 330m of Ridgisewer PVCu structured wall pipes, along
with the necessary associated bends and fittings required to fit the pipe runs.
To
capture, store and control surface water run-off, over 220m of Ridgistorm-XL
large diameter pipes were supplied in a stiffness class of SN2 to suit the
site’s ground conditions, together with two tanks manufactured using
Polystorm-R cells. Polypipe’s Polystorm-R cells boast a 95% void ratio, with a
load bearing capacity of up to 61 tonnes per square metre, making them ideally
suited for trafficked and loaded applications at greater depths.
The two
tanks will provide over 336m3 of
water storage, meaning that the Graven Hill site will have the capacity to
store and manage excess water in the event of extreme weather events, ensuring
flood resilience.
Mick
McCaul, Construction Manager at Contractor Careys Civil Engineering,
says: “We have worked on numerous projects with Polypipe and have remained
impressed with their high level of customer service and the quality of their
range of products.
"We
recommended that the original specification for the Graven Hill site be changed
to a thermoplastic solution, as we knew that it would be safer, easier and
quicker for our groundworkers to install, while offering the robust
infrastructure required for this large-scale project.”
Rosie
Cheetham, Marketing Manager at Polypipe Civils, says: “We were pleased to be
selected by Careys Civil Engineering to provide an alternative solution
for the Graven Hill site, thanks to the contractor’s prior positive experiences
using our thermoplastic piping products.
"We
offered consistent communication and excellent client service throughout, to
ensure that all technical queries were answered and specification requirements
met.”
“The
final design incorporated products from across Polypipe’s water management
range and highlighted how plastic can offer a cost-effective, durable
alternative that can still meet approval for adoption criteria.
"The
system using Polysewer, Ridgisewer, Ridgistorm-XL and Polystorm products forms
a vital part of the foundation infrastructure for this innovative housing site,
and will ensure efficient water management and resilience in the face of
extreme weather events for years to come.”
