Project outline

Murphy Urban Infrastructure were engaged by Folgate Estates for the groundworks and associated car parking facility at a former office depot near Enfield, North London.

Prior to the works, the site had been used as a storage compound and included three building structures.

Owing to our self-delivery model, the team worked collaboratively with our Construction & Property team at Murphy and completed all site enabling and demolition works ahead of the groundworks scope commencing. The groundworks involved reduced excavation and backfilling, duct and drainage installation, lighting columns’ foundations and infrastructure, pavement build-up and asphalt works.

Key challenges

Folgate Estates had recently secured Amazon on a long-term lease, on the premise that the site would be transformed into a logistic hub by late October 2019.

Our management and engineering teams worked closely with the client’s design team in a dynamic environment. Unexpected below-ground obstructions and existing drainage networks were exposed, and the reduced excavation required a number of revisions to the scheme design.    

Delivery and innovations

With very tight programme constraints, a ‘One Murphy’ approach was required by the site teams to ensure all the various operations were completed in a safe and controlled manner on a daily basis. Daily coordination meetings were held and attended by all supervisors, which were key to ensuring all the operation teams fully understood what was happening on the wider site.

A detailed ‘look-ahead’ programme was developed, which monitored activities, allowing early capture of any potential delays. This was fundamental to allowing us to take immediate action and mitigate these delays at the earliest opportunity to ultimately successfully deliver this project to the client’s requirements.

Key facts
  • Installed nine deep surface water drainage manholes and connections to existing drainage system
  • Installed 225m ACO channels and connections to existing drainage system
  • Installed of duct runs and cable draw pits
  • Constructed 20 lighting column bases
  • Break out existing concrete pads, excavated to formation level (600m3) and installed new sub-structure to allow for new tarmac
  • Installed perimeter concrete kerbs and topsoil dressing
  • 6300m2 asphalt works and associated white lining
Urban Infrastructure.

Leading provider in urban infrastructure

We complete projects that involve hard landscaping, utilities and drainage upgrades, the construction of new roads, the installation of street furniture and other public realm work. We also provide services for complex demolition projects and the rejuvenation of brownfield sites.