Oxted Gasholder - Courtyard Gardens February 2020

My site visit to Courtyard Gardens on 25 February proved to be relatively dry considering it had been the wettest February on record. I noticed a significant difference this month from my previous January visit, concrete underground car park floors are starting to appear and exterior walls taking shape.

This is blog number 14 and forms part of a series of monthly visits until completion of all 111 high-end one, two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses in Summer 2021, by St Willam part of the Berkeley Group.

The photographs that follow have captions to tell you more about the process.

Carpark floors and walls taking shape.

From previous blogs I’m sure you are aware of how the site is changing. On this particular visit I noticed the most significant change because of how much work has, and is, taking place above ground and the number of workmen on site.

Block A is taking shape with the concrete carpark floor nearing completion.

Carpark concrete walls taking shape.

The carpark wall being formed. Showing the completed concrete floor.

From small skips to other building materials that aren’t packaged are moved across the site by crane.

Overlooking Block C carpark.

Two cranes make the move of a foul pump chamber quick and efficient from one end of the site to the other.

Placement of a foul pump chamber under carpark in Block C.

Foul pump chamber carefully lowered in place.

Block C lift core is complete, ready to be integrated with the basement slab.

Regular deliveries of freshly mixed concrete for immediate use.

It is now becoming clear exactly where Blocks A, B and C are positioned as the outlines of buildings take shape.

Behind Oxted railway station, Block A.

Behind the shops in Station Road East, the carparks are taking shape.

Lowering the foul pump chamber in place.

Carpark walls ready for filling with concrete.

Building the structure for the walls.

Four piles excavated in preparation for forming a pile cap.

Block A carpark taking shape from a different viewpoint.

Carpark walls for Block B.

Precision engineering for the correct alignment of the buildings.

Careful lowering of materials takes precision steering above and below ground.

Lowering of materials. Viewpoint behind the lower end of Station Road East.

The cab for the crane operator.

Block C carpark showing piling caps ready for the next stage.

This ongoing process of visiting the site every month, from the demolition of the gasholder in January 2019 to now has given me a real sense of appreciation as to what goes into building a development such as this.

I have learnt so much about the different processes, including the different skills, the architectural plans, the materials, the site management and how the weather plays a part as to how the site is managed. I am always excited to see the changes from month to month and am thankful to St William, for giving me the access to capture the changing town for posterity.

Looking up at one of the two cranes.

Cutting materials to size.

Lots of activity on site this month.

Carpark walls under construction.

The portacabins in the distance are also a hive of activity for site management.

Top of the rebars on the Block C lift core ready to be integrated with the basement slab.

Piling caps.

Thanks for reading I’ll be back in April with an update about my March visit. To read the other blogs about Courtyard Gardens please click here.

This link to my January visit to the site shows a display model of the development at Robert Leech Estate Agents just opposite the building works, this is where the buildings are brought to life and well worth a visit, you won’t be disappointed.

Stella

To read other previous blogs these can be found on the ‘Featured’ blogs below by using the arrows on the right to scroll through the past 30 blogs.

Oxted Gasholder - Courtyard Gardens January 2020

A model of the development from the Station Road East entrance. On the far right is Block A with adjoining Block B to the left and Block C front left, sitting in beautifully landscaped gardens. Access to Blocks A and B are via the current Station Road East entrance whilst Block C is accessed independently via the Johnsdale entrance.

My first visit of 2020 to the Oxted Courtyard Gardens development site took place on Friday 24 January on an overcast day. A lot had changed since my last visit back in early December when the piling was nearing completion and the second tower crane was about to be installed. Although the site was closed for two weeks over the Christmas break I did notice a significant change, read on to find out more.

The following photographs all have captions on top to tell you more about the procedures in place for the 111 high-quality apartments.

The foundations for the underground car park at the back of the shops in Station Road East where Block A is located.

The two tower cranes used for moving materials from the furthest points on site.

The piling completed for Block A with the pile caps visible.

Some of the pile caps for Block A. This will form a pillar in the underground car park.

A view of where the steel cages are made and where Block B will be located

The second tower crane was installed in a day, the preparation to install the base took two weeks. The two piling rigs are no longer on-site as all the pilling is complete.

Making the cages that form the pile caps.

Finished cages.

This is blog number 13, just a brief recap in case you haven’t been following them.

I started writing my blogs in January 2019 when the demolition of the gasholder - which was previously on the site for over 50 years - commenced as a personal project for posterity. I have a long and deep connection with Oxted as my studio in Station Road East, which I moved away from in August 2019 after 23 years, backed onto the site, and ever since I took the lease on the premises at the end of 1996 I heard about how the gasholder site may one day be developed and I was not going to miss the opportunity to photographically document this, which has become a fascinating and enlightening project.

During each of my site visits, I always learn more about the construction process and all the skills that are employed along the way to ensure everything complies with building regulations, health and safety, and all the other regulations to monitor the air quality and vibrations to name only a few.

The development will be completed at the end of Summer 2021 and the show apartment will be ready for viewing this Summer with over 50% of the apartments already sold.

This mobile concrete pump was hired for the day to assist with depositing large quantities of concrete via a long arm into the base of Block C.

The concrete is poured via this arm into a cage to form a pile cap under Block C.

The concrete is poured into a cage to form a pile cap under Block C.

The foundations of the underground car park of Block C.

Foundations in place for Block A showing the piling caps.

Steel cages are constructed on site, and are surrounded underground by concrete to form a pile cap.

The two cranes are used to move objects from one part of the site to the other with ease and precision.

A view looking up to where Block A will sit, the portacabins will be relocated down the site as the development progresses.

The underground car park of Block C.

The pile cap, the bars poking out the top are column starter bars. The blue columns are dewatering wells to assist with the ground water levels.

Another angle of the development from the left of the Johnsdale entrance, the apartments are behind Station Road East, clearly showing Block C on the right with Block B on the left with Block A adjoining it. All the apartments are being built with underground allocated parking.

My previous blog showed the finishing of the base for this crane to be installed.

The foundations have to be immensely strong to support the tower crane, especially as the site is exposed to harsh winds and the elements.

The two tower cranes work together to save time moving materials accross the site.

Look towards Block A with the foundations completed.

A view from the portacabins towards Block C showing the arm from the concrete pump depositing to the base concrete.

The underground car parks for Block C on the left and Block B far right.

A view from behind the flats at the bottom of Station Road East shows another angle of Block C.

On the far left showing the entrance to Block C, behind the houses in Johnsdale.

A view of the site from the Johnsdale entrance showing Block C on the right and Block B on the left with Block A adjoining Block B. All 111 high-quality apartments enjoy a private outside space.

There are two separate entrances to the development. Blocks A and B via the current Station Road East entrance and Block C via the current Johnsdale entrance, there is no cross over point between Block C to Blocks A and B due to the different levels. The landscaped gardens are communal.

Inside Robert Leech Estate Agents.

If you would like to find out more about purchasing one or just to satisfy your curiosity, call into Robert Leech Estate Agents on Station Road East, you’ll also get to see the model of the development, they are very friendly in there, just ask to speak to Suzanne Buck from the St William Group or her colleague Geraldine Nightingale both assigned to the development.

That’s all for now, I’ll be back again next month with my February site visit.

Thanks for reading.

Stella

Oxted Gasholder - Courtyard Gardens Build - October 2019

Steel rebars that are used with the coiled steel to make the ‘cages’ to go in the drilled holes.

The coiled steel for making the ‘cages’ with the steel rebars that go in the drilled holes.

A view of the two machines that work together during the drilling process on the piling mat. The piling rig and the excavator.

The last remains of ironwork from the former gasholder which is sent away for recycling.

Netting to prevent any concrete splashing over the fence onto the back of the neighbouring premises.

The coiled steel ready for making the ‘cages’ with.

The triangular marker called a ‘witches hat’ shows where the piling has taken place ready for the next stage of the build process.

Welcome to my October blog (number 10) about the construction process at Courtyard Gardens, the former gas holder site here in Oxted.

Regular readers will be aware that I have taken on this personal project to visually document the construction process from the demolition of the gasholder back in January to completion in summer 2021.

My monthly visits to the site are accompanied by Ness Kingham, Assistant Site Manager for St William part of the Berkeley Group, who shows and tells me more about the progress every time. I am always in awe of the vastness of the development and all the processes that are involved, it looked so small when it was overgrown with trees surrounding the gasholder.

These photographs with descriptions on each were photographed on 22 October 2019.

The site from the top corner nearest the railway station, looking down towards the former Johnsdale car park.

During this visit, the completion of the piling was well underway, with over 300 holes drilled by the auger, the drill attachment on the piling rig. It was interesting to watch the final few holes being drilled and filled with the basket type ‘cage’ and concrete. When the process is complete it is marked with a triangular ‘witches hat’ during the drying process so it is easy to identify its location.

A completed hole, drilled with the steel ‘cage’ inserted and filled with concrete, takes less than 20 minutes.

The positioning of the steel work for the making of the ‘cages. On the right of the picture completed ‘cages’ for inserting into the hole.

Photographed from the narrow walkway on the perimeter of the site looking through the protective barriers. On the right the top of the sheet piling is visible at ground level.

A diagram of the site and positioning of Blocks A, B and C.

The foreground is where the gasholder base was placed, there no longer is any evidence of the remains of the base or the foundations, leaving it clear for levelling.

Leveling of the surface ready for the piling rig to take its position on a piling mat.

The two green electricity generators on the right, that the cabling will be connected to. The black tubing in the front of them is visible and will be used underground to pass the electricity cables through.

The black tubing that is visible from under the earth will house cables to be connected to the main source of power, a network of these are taking shape in the foundations.

Blocks A will sit in this area.

This area is the former Johnsdale car park and I’m standing on the spot I use to park my car on. Earth is deposited to raise the level.

Steel work left from the demolition and excavation of the gasholder is cleared.

Looking up to the upper level where Block A will be built.

The sheet piling in the foreground in preparation for the underground car park. The portacabin offices behind this will be moved to make way for Block A to be built.

Health and Safety barriers are placed above the sheet piling to prevent any accidents because of the different heights at ground level.

An excavator picks up one of the steel beams as if it were a tiny toothpick, it happened with such precision.

Leveling of earth.

A view between the sheet piling and the safety fence, looking over the building site towards the back of Station Road East.

The top corner of the site shows the surface is level.

This is where blocks A will be built.

The positioning of the steel rebars that form part of the ‘cages’.

Sheet piling above ground level with cable.

You have to keep well away from the works.

Around the perimeter of the site is a narrow walkway to enable access from the top to the bottom.

The site has two entrances which enables carefully planned site traffic to enter and exit at strategic times. These entrances are independent of each other, you can only exit from the one you entered, this will remain the same for the residents of Courtyard Gardens.

Concrete deposited in preparation for the foundations to sit.

Coiled steel to form the ‘cages’, part of the piling process.

The auger digs deep into the ground to excavate the earth for foundations to be inserted.

Protective wear must be worn at all times on site.

A view from the office portacabin looking down the site.

Well, that’s it for the October edition of my blogs, I’ll be back next month with an update from my November site visit, I think it will start to look very different with works more visible above ground level.

To read my previous 9 blogs this link takes you to the Blog Page on the website.

Bye for now.

Stella

To read other previous blogs these can be found on the ‘Featured’ blogs below by using the arrows on the right to scroll through the past 30 blogs.

Oxted Gasholder - Courtyard Gardens Build - September 2019

On the left the auger on the piling rig that drills out the ground to make way for the concrete.

Welcome to my September blog about the St William (part of the Berekeley Group), housing development for 111 luxury apartments at the former gasholder site here in Oxted.

Regular readers of my blogs will be aware that since January this year I have been photographing the demolition of the gasholder and the start of the building process to visually document the history for posterity, due for completion summer 2021.

Each month I am given access to the site, accompanied by Assistant Site Manager, Ness Kingham who escorts me and tells me about the progress since my last visit. I am always fascinated by the processes and developments, I have learnt so much!

This is just the beginning of the building process of 3 blocks - A, B and C where the sheet piling has taken place and bearing piles on block C on the former Johnsdale car park are complete.

Over 5500m3 of soil has been removed from the site to date, that’s the equivalent volume of more than two Olympic sized swimming pools! The removal of the contaminated earth resulting from the former gasworks is also complete.

The photographs on this blog were taken on Monday 16 September 2019 and tell the story with captions on each image. I have watched an auger drill into the ground and deposit concrete for the bearing piles to take place, read on to find out more.

The top of site that sits at the back of the railway station.

The top of the site behind the railway tracks.

The remains of the base wall of one of the 3 gasholders that once sat on this site.

Hardcore and metal work from the demolition of the gasholder in January.

Excavation preparing for the groundworks.

The remains of the base of the rim of the gasholder that was demolished in January. This continues to be removed and crushed to form the remaining piling mats.

Each image has a caption on describing the processes.

The top of sheet piling showing the joining of one to the other.

Site inspection to locate the next point for the piling rig to drill approximately 15 metres into the ground.

A brush at the side of the piling rig removes excess earth from the auger to prevent build-up of debris.

The auger of the piling rig takes away the earth in preparation for the concrete to be filled in the cavity.

This agitator mixer prepares the concrete for the piling rig to deposit in the cavity via a hose system.

The shute system that delivers the concrete via a hose to the piling rig.

The hose that delivers the concrete from the mixer to the piling rig.

The concrete is deposited into the space the auger has created.

The hose at the top of the piling rig works in unison with the drill (the auger), a swift process in preparation for a metal ‘cage’ to be inserted in the hole.

The piling rig is a fascinating piece of machinery and capable of so much very efficiently.

The piling rig, a machine that drills into the ground and pumps concrete into the space.

Once the concrete is poured into the cavity, a metal ‘cage’ is inserted very swiftly whilst the concrete is fresh which forms the base of the foundations, to support the building works.

The digger machine applies pressure to insert the ‘cage’.

The process happens within a minute or two.

Almost there!

One final push!

The top of the ‘cage’ is exposed so it can be located amongst the others that have been inserted for the next stage to take place.

Excess concrete and earth are scooped away by the digger.

To read previous blogs please click this link, this is blog number 9.

Once the ‘cage’ is inserted the steel rebars (reinforcement bars) are visible so a yellow triangular shape is placed above it to identify where the foundation sits.

The digger scoops away the excess concrete from the surface.

A yellow triangle shape is placed on the metal rods to identify where the foundation sits.

A view looking up the site where Block A will be built.

The entrance to where the former Johnsdale car park once was. This will become the entrance to Block C.

A view from the top of the site office porta cabins, looking down towards Johnsdale.

The three water tanks process the excess rainwater that is collected at the base of the site to a filtration and purifying system via a hose. You can see the sheet piling in this picture too.

A view from behind the piling rig and digger where the steel ‘cages’ were inserted. This is where the former Johnsdale car park was once located. You can see the yellow triangle shapes that identify the location of the foundations.

The crusher that separates hardcore from metal and crushes the hardcore to dust via a conveyor belt.

A spray of water settles the dust in one place to prevent it spreading.

The settled dust seen at the centre of the picture and the crushed concrete on the right which is reused onsite to form the remaining piling mats.

The crusher has separated the hardcore into three piles - scrap metal, crushed hardcore and settled dust from the crushed hardcore.

Each time I visit the site so much has changed, it really is beginning to take shape for the next stage of the building process.

The crusher very swiftly via a conveyor belt processes the waste for recycling.

Thank you for reading this recent blog, I hope you have found it interesting. I’ll be back in November with an update from my October visit.

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See you next month!

Stella

To read other previous blogs these can be found on the ‘Featured’ blogs below by using the arrows on the right to scroll through the past 30 blogs.