FP MCCANN OFFSITE PRECAST CONCRETE STRUCTURAL AND ARCHITECTURAL FRAME SOLUTION SPECIFIED ON ESSEX RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

Project: New Multi-Storey Residential Development, Harlow, Essex

Owner: Harlow Council

Developer: Hollybrook

Precast Frame Supply/Install: FP McCann

Products Supplied: Precast concrete Core and Party walls; Prestressed Hollowcore Flooring Planks; Transfer Slab and Ground Floor Cladding; Precast Stair Cores and Stair Landings; Insulated Architectural Sandwich Panels.

As part of a £50 million regeneration scheme in Harlow, Essex, FP McCann has recently completed a precast concrete structural and architectural supply and install project for London based residential and commercial property developer, Hollybrook and Harlow Council. The high-rise development consists of 172 new homes on a key gateway site. The 15 storey building on Fifth Avenue near Burnt Mill roundabout contains 139 two bedroom properties and 33 single bedroom apartments, all housed above 12,500 sq ft of commercial space. The NHBC multi award-winning development is an in-situ reinforced concrete frame to 1st floor, with a structural precast concrete frame and precast concrete architectural cladding to the 14 upper floors.

The Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) precast concrete frame solution has been designed, manufactured and installed by FP McCann, a Tier 2, BIM Level 2 certified supplier. As on all such contracts undertaken by FP McCann, BIM Execution Plans (BEP) were prepared for the Hollybrook development, demonstrating FP McCann’s proposed approach, capabilities, capacity and competence to meet stringent Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR).

The FP McCann precast structural frame comprises precast concrete core and party walls, prestressed hollowcore flooring planks and precast stair cores and stair landings. Integral to the structural frame itself, are the architectural brick-faced insulated sandwich panels and coloured concrete feature panels, both offering the attractive external finish to the building from the 1st floor up. Transfer slab cladding and ground floor cladding are other key precast concrete elements of the build. Many other MMC features include the supply and fix of galvanised conduits and the fair face finish to internal walls, allowing for follow-on trades to complete their works in a timely and efficient manner. Co-ordinated works in conjunction with other contractors incorporated the bolt on stair and balcony fixings and the placing of bathroom, ensuite and utility pods. The accelerated construction time typically seen in such offsite precast concrete structural frame builds saw the Harlow project completed in just 50 weeks.

Commenting on the Harlow residential development, Jean-Michel Holloway, Project Quantity Surveyor for Hollybrook says, “Reducing construction times compared to traditional build methods has to be factored into addressing the housing shortfall in urban locations. Traditional construction methods, while tried and tested, are increasingly inadequate to meet the soaring demand for quality, affordable housing. The Harlow project is a clear demonstration that offsite construction and MMC in urban locations not only helps address the current housing challenge but lays the groundwork for a more efficient and sustainable home building industry. By embracing these methods, we can build faster, reduce our environmental impact and provide safe, affordable living space.”