Pre-drill survey project

A multinational construction infrastructure company, is developing an old timber wharf in south-east London.

They are developing it into a series of luxury residential apartment blocks as part of an ongoing regeneration scheme.

The site in Deptford is split into 6 plots and replaces an existing series of industrial buildings with piled foundations.

Bombing Surrey Commercial Docks

During WWII, the site was located approximately 1.4km to the south-east of Surrey Commercial Docks, a major Luftwaffe bombing target.

As a result, this area of London sustained a very high density of bombing, as confirmed by official statistics and mapping.

The available London ARP maps record eight high explosive bomb strikes within the site boundary and a 1kg IB shower across the entirety of the area.

Several more HE bomb strikes fell immediately adjacent to the site boundary and a V1 bomb landed at the north-western corner.

Igne's pre-drill survey project included over 1,000 surveys split into 4 separate attendances to site.

UXO clearance of pile locations

The client required complete site clearance of all pile locations to a depth of around 9M.

There are existing and historic piles on the site and the boundary also includes the alignment of the former Surrey canal which was filled in after the war.

Ground and site conditions required a pre-drill and follow-on survey methodology.

On mobilisation Igne encountered difficult ground conditions which required it to undertake drilling rig specific TFG surveys on positions with restricted access or difficult ground.

The site is incredibly busy so allowance had to be made for the movement of other contractors' plant around Igne's working areas too.

The project is still ongoing; Igne is moving on to phase 4, 5 and 6 over the next few months.

The client has been very forthcoming in their praise of the crews on site, and has awarded Igne additional works based on its performance.  To date full site clearance has been provided.