Park Central

Park Central, Zone B11, Birmingham has been an ongoing 15-year project which Crest Nicholson Regeneration, delivered in partnership with Birmingham City Council and Optima Community Association.

Systems in use

• Wilotekt®-Plus
• Ecoflex®
• Starcoat® PMMA

Overview

The development has completely transformed the former Lee Bank Estate into a desirable place for city centre living. Included in the scheme is an eight-acre park at the centre, which has proved very popular with the local community.

Challenges

The primary challenge was to achieve a robust waterproofing solution across all areas of the project, ensuring that all key targets of the construction programme, installation, cost efficiencies and client requirements are met.

This coupled with ensuring all aspects of the waterproofing package were designed and installed in accordance with the current government legislation, NHBC design guide and industry design guides including BS 6229:2018, requiring all areas to be installed to a design fall no less than 1:80. Due to the roof slab being concrete, the frame required a fall within the structure to remove the requirement for a secondary screed which was simply accommodated across all areas. However, Block E proved a little more difficult due to the curvature of the building.

Solutions

Through review of Axter’s extensive system portfolio and by following our waterproofing ethos of ‘right system, right application’, a mix of three key waterproofing solutions was incorporated within the architectural design specification.

Wilotekt-Plus was specified for the central podium as a robust waterproofing system, allowing for regular foot traffic and storage during the construction stage as this was a key area for use with deliveries and access to three of the six blocks. The system was also specified for the main roofs where a fall could be achieved within the concrete slab.

Block E proved a little more challenging to create the fall, but Ecoflex ADH PVCp single ply with tapered insulation was more than up to the job. It was installed allowing for a clean, visually attractive aesthetic and the required design falls to achieve drainage.

To close out the design and turnkey solution, we also incorporated waterproofing to the exposed car park decks between Blocks D and E and Blocks E and A with R12 rated, BBA certified Starcoat PMMA. Bay marking was easily applied using Starcoat PMMA white roller-applied surfacing.

Through close collaboration and partnership with Axtershield Installer NRA Roofing & Flooring, all works were protected under Axter’s Platinum Guarantee, our most comprehensive insurance backed guarantee covering materials, design, workmanship and insolvency. The excellent workmanship, attention to detail and multi-discipline co-ordination of works displayed by our Axtershield Installer helped to deliver this complex project.