Carnival Pool Multi Storey Car Park

Sector: Local Authority

Start: May 2016

Completion: May 2017

Client satisfaction: 9/10

Social value generated: £2,519,979

Local labour within 20 miles: 93%

SME engagement: 90%

The project has been a great example of teamwork, dedication and collaborative working and we would not hesitate in using the same SCAPE procurement route and Balfour Beatty in the future on other schemes."

Neil Jones

Senior Construction Project Manager | Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Borough Council are working on a vision to regenerate the area, with an ambition to improve residents’ health and wellbeing by providing high quality leisure facilities and public spaces in the town centre.

To meet the needs of residents, both now and as the population grows, the regeneration will look to improve the streets and other public spaces in the town centre, to reduce the dominance of traffic and make them more ‘people friendly’.

This project was delivered via the SCAPE National Civil Engineering and Infrastructure framework, by Balfour Beatty.

Phase one of this major regeneration scheme involved the demolition of the old cadet facility and building a new 529 space multi-storey car park, with a bowling alley and entertainment venue on the ground floor.

The new Carnival Pool car park was designed to meet Park Mark Safe Parking standards, be open and easy to navigate and to have an efficient layout and structural design. The appearance and cladding system needed to be appropriate to the townscape, affordable, low maintenance, long wearing and sustainable.

The project also gave the opportunity for local children to be involved, including pupils from Addington School, an outstanding school for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The children visited the site for a ground tour and to see the drawings and plans used in our site offices, giving them an idea of what jobs in construction involve.

The south west side of the site is next to a railway, which created several constraints.

The team at Balfour Beatty met with the Wessex Region of SW Rail, to establish what they could and could not do on site. These requirements were then integrated into the plans for the design and build methodology.

The car parking provision that was originally onsite had to be closed to make way for the new car park, so the council needed to find alternative parking in the area.

The entire project took 18 months from the start of the design process and 12 months from the beginning of construction to delivery.

The Mayor of Wokingham officially opened the new building, with the new entertainment venue, bowling alley and multi-storey all set for public use following handover to the fit-out contractor.

The build also gave the opportunity for local children to be involved, including pupils from Addington School, an outstanding school for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) who visited the site for a ground tour and to see the drawings and plans used in our site offices.

£2.5m

Social value generated

95%

Local spend within 20 miles

9/10

Client satisfaction