Swansgate Car Park

Sector: Local Authority

Project Value: £4.9m

Framework: SCAPE Construction | For the Public Sector

Social Value generated: £2.75m

Local Labour within 20 miles: 60%

Local spend within 20 miles: 29%

A much cleaner, safer and more attractive place to park, now and in the future. I would also like to put on record my admiration for the way this project has been managed from start to finish by the contractors Morgan Sindall Construction and officers of the council during what has been a very difficult time for each and every one of us.

Councillor Martin Griffiths

Leader, Borough Council of Wellingborough

A combination of fast-paced procurement and innovative construction techniques helped deliver Swansgate Car Park two weeks early.

The existing Swansgate car park needed a series of repairs to extend its lifespan and create a safer, more sustainable facility for the future, including increasing the number of car parking spaces available.

As well as adding more than 200 spaces to accommodate local shoppers, the Swansgate scheme has contributed £2.75 million in local social value investment. The team volunteered 100 hours of their time to assist local community projects, supported local youth groups and provided lighting for public spaces. As part of green travel plans, the team reduced air pollution by completing 6,720 miles in low emission vehicles. They also spent 15 hours volunteering towards the management of green infrastructure which will support the local community and help breathe new life into the town.

As a result of being selected by Borough Council of Wellingborough to complete this project, Morgan Sindall Construction were able to employ two people from the neighbouring community on the scheme.

As anti-social behaviour had been prevalent in the car park, it was important that the refurbishment work would ensure the safety of the customers. As a result, there were improvements to the lighting and CCTV, whilst secure doors were fitted at the street parking level. The project also included refurbishment of the toilets, and upgrading the fire alarm and sprinkler system, to improve safety.

To support the demand for low emission cars and a carbon-neutral society, four of the parking bays include electric charging points.

Early engagement and innovative construction techniques were crucial to the success of the scheme.

With social distancing requirements mandated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the site team could not employ the standard method of splitting and repairing the car park’s concrete floor; a task that traditionally requires multiple site personnel operating in close proximity. To work around this, the site team designed and employed an innovative approach using high-pressure water jets (hydro-demolition) which could be individually operated to break out the concrete. This allowed the task to be completed safely and efficiently, in line with Construction Leadership Council (CLC) guidelines, ensuring the project remained on track for the handover.

Following the demolition phase, surveys found defective and poorly installed rebar, which had caused the concrete to fail in over 2,000 places, meaning the team had to plan carefully phased and sequenced repairs across all levels of the car park. In addition, high chloride levels were discovered, so an innovative technical solution was designed. 28,500 sacrificial zinc anodes were installed along with the application of FerroGard corrosion inhibitor to mitigate future rebar corrosion and extend the life of the car park.

Morgan Sindall Construction completed the repairs to the Swansgate car park two weeks ahead of schedule, in just ten months. Scoring 10/10 for customer satisfaction, quality, safety and programme, the revamped car park now features more spaces, an excellent quality finish with new toilets, improved CCTV and upgraded street-level security doors.

Councillor Martin Griffiths, Leader of Borough Council of Wellingborough, said: “I’m proud that we are continuing to invest in our town centre to ensure that Wellingborough is an attractive place for residents and visitors to spend time with family and friends shopping and socialising, when Covid-19 restrictions allow. I am sure that the refurbishment of the Swansgate multi-storey car park will be popular both with visitors and businesses, providing the community with a better experience all round. A much cleaner, safer and more attractive place to park, now and in the future. I would also like to put on record my admiration for the way this project has been managed from start to finish by the contractors Morgan Sindall Construction and officers of the council during what has been a very difficult time for each and every one of us.”

In total, the project generated £2.75 million of local social value investment. During the project, and when national restrictions allowed, the team set up in the local shopping centre and raised £2,657 from the poppy appeal for the Royal British Legion at Wellingborough. This was well-received, and the team were praised by Councillor Jon-Paul Carr for their time spent.

The car park now supports the residents of Wellingborough, enhancing their experience in the shopping centre by ensuring a safer visit and giving more access to parking spaces.