FP McCann 1.0 Metre ‘L’ Walls form Training Pit and Trench at Gloucester Based Construction Skills Centre
Site: Simulated Foundation Pit and Vaccum Excavation Trench. New Construction Training Centre, Cinderford, Gloucester
Client: AccXel
Products Supplied: 1.0 metres high straight and corner reinforced precast concrete ‘L’ Walls
FP McCann’s precast concrete ‘L’ Wall earth retention system is being installed at a state-of-the art £3 million construction education establishment based in Cinderford, Gloucestershire. The ‘L’ Walls are being used to form a foundation pit and vacuum excavation trench.
AccXel, the first co-funded industry led construction education facility in the UK, is a construction skills accelerator centre that has been set up to address the severe skills shortage in the industry compounded by the recent rapid growth in the sector. Jointly funded by HM Government, GFirst LEP and K W Bell Group, AccXel will offer industry recognised training programmes alongside bespoke packages, all tailored to develop the next generation of construction professionals as well as upskilling the current workforce.
In collaboration with education partners, qualifications at AccXel will range from NVQ L2 through to Postgraduate Degree and will provide education and training ranging from entry-level training programmes, through to management-level strategic business and personal development. As the first co-funded, industry led education facility, and the first private company to receive public funds through the post-COVID ‘Get Building’ fund, AccXel is receiving national acclaim.
A number of permanent training fixtures are being installed at the centre, two of which are the foundation pit and a vacuum excavation trench. The foundation pit will allow trainee operatives to dig, backfill and re-dig the pit to practice accuracy of excavation and likewise the vacuum excavation trench in conjunction with specialised vacuum excavator will enable trainees to develop the necessary skills required when carefully removing spoil from around live power, gas and comms infrastructure. Additionally, with the foundation pit, trainee groundworkers can learn how to install trench box safety systems without the concern of the sides of the pit collapsing.
In both cases FP McCann’s precast concrete L Walls are acting as the earth retention systems. The foundation pit wall is 6m x 6m and consists of 16 straight 1.0m high units and four corner wall units and the vacuum excavation trench is 10m long by 2m wide utilising the same number of straight and corner 1.0m high L Walls.
Commenting on the L Walls, Nicola Bird, Managing Director of the AccXel Training Centre says, “FP McCann’s precast concrete ‘L’ Wall system is a very effective and simple method of constructing earth retaining structures such as the training foundation pit and vacuum excavation trench. It is a Modern Method of Construction (MMC) that sits comfortably alongside our strong values of providing innovative and recognised advanced training programmes to future proof the industry.”
The precast concrete L Wall units are available in heights from 4.0 metres to 6.0 metres from Byley and units measuring 1.0 metre to 3.75 metres from FP McCann’s Lydney and Grantham depots.
For further information on FP McCann’s precast concrete walling solutions, contact
James Hodgson 07753415817 | sales@fpmccann.co.uk
