SEGRO V-Park Grand Union stands out as an innovative, custom-designed multi-storey and multi-let industrial structure within the broader Grand Union development area, nestled between the River Brent and the A406 in Alperton, London. Designed to cater to a diverse array of businesses, ranging from fledgling startups to well-established enterprises, the development aims to provide a flexible and appealing workspace. Additionally, it offers communal amenities to foster interaction and collaboration among like-minded professionals.
SEGRO enlisted the expertise of Patrick Parsons to oversee civil engineering consultancy on the SEGRO V-Park Grand Union project. Patrick Parsons involvement in the project spanned from its conceptualisation to the particulars of detailed design. Our team conducted comprehensive flood risk assessments and formulated a below-ground drainage strategy to support the planning phase. As the project progressed to the detailed design stage, our responsibilities extended to crafting detailed designs for below-ground drainage systems, external infrastructure, and a robust ground-bearing service yard slab.
Setting standards in sustainability, the development integrates cutting-edge energy-saving measures throughout its construction and lifecycle. With a focus on environmental responsibility, it targets BREEAM Excellent certification. Noteworthy features include 20 charging points for electric vehicles, photovoltaic cells, and an internal green wall. Upon full occupancy, it is poised to generate up to 250 jobs and apprenticeships, contributing to the broader goal of creating 650 new jobs within the Grand Union development.
Civil Engineering Challenges
This project forms part of the broader Grand Union scheme for which Patrick Parsons is providing design services to the developer, St George. Given the site’s industrial history, numerous constraints had to be navigated, including existing drainage networks, the presence of the London ring main traversing the development, the adjacent Grand Union Canal to the west, and the River Brent to the south.
To secure planning approval, extensive engagement was necessary with various stakeholders, including the Environment Agency, the Canal and Riverside Trust, and the council’s Flood Risk officers.
Complicating matters further, the development falls within Flood Zone 3, necessitating meticulous flood compensation modelling and the demonstration of flood resilience measures to obtain planning consent. During the detailed design phase, in addition to finalizing designs for drainage and external works, we successfully obtained flood risk activity permits for works along the River Brent embankment adjacent to the site.
