Minerva House Temporary Berth
Overview
- Client: Multiplex
- Project Value: £2.5m
- Dates: July 24 – Present
GPS MACS were contacted by Multiplex to help solve the logistical issues around their new development at Minerva House. The site is located on the south side of the River Thames, behind Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral. The roads are narrow, the footfall is incredibly busy. So GPS MACS designed and installed the temporary berth within the river to export demolition waste, and import construction materials, via the river on barges.
The berth is an anchored pontoon positioned on a campshed with crane and excavator on deck. Flat top and hopper barges are being used to transit material to and from site.
A great example of how the River Thames can be utilised to decarbonise construction projects and remove lorries from London Roads. The waterway is an underutilised network running through the heart of the city.
Use of the barge will reduce the total number of heavy goods vehicles that would have travelled to and from the local area during the deconstruction phase by 65%.
Minerva House will deliver 143,100 sq ft of new best-in-class workspaces, in a rejuvenated and expanded building, making the most of its impressive river frontage.
It is one of our latest central London projects to be designed and built in line with GPE’s updated Roadmap to Net Zero. The project will embrace the principles of the circular economy, including the retention and re-use of over 70% of the existing building.
DESIGN
Design of the temporary berth to accommodate the requirements of the project, and ensure full restoration of the river bed on completion.
- Remove lorries from London roads, reducing carbon emissions through the use of marine craft and limiting the impact of the works on the local residents / businesses.
Obtain the necessary consents and licencing from the River Regulators
CONSTRUCTION
Creation of campshed by levelling off the existing bed and extending the footprint using rock bags and granular fill material
Installation of the 50 x 14m flat top barge with 2no. spuds driven into the river bed
Installation of linkspan bridge to landside
MARINE LOGISTICS
Supply of tugs and barges to export / import materials to and from site
Operating offsite loading facility in Greenwich for receiving the permanent works items, and loading onto the barges for tow to site
Planned, supervised and carried out mobilisation of all marine plant to site
Passage plans for challenging tows
