Victoria Central

The Keyfix Non-Combustible Cavity Tray has been installed as part of a new residential development in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, offering value for money, ease of construction, and best practice on this project.

Leading housebuilder Weston Homes has launched a new £52.8 million (Gross Development Value) residential-led development in Southend-on-Sea, one of the country’s most well-known seaside resorts. Named Victoria Central, due to its location on the southern end of Victoria Avenue and just moments from Southend Victoria station, it comprises 217 one, two and three-bedroom apartments complete with a landscaped courtyard, stylish entrance foyer and 275m² of ground floor commercial space.

Working in conjunction with Weston Homes, Keyfix supplied 2,835m of its Non-Combustible Cavity Tray (NCCT), 1,297m of its Non-Combustible Cavity Tray Lintel, and 1,960 Corner Units.

The main challenge faced on this programme was the unique brickwork arrangement with a variety of steps and coloured bricks within the masonry. Keyfix supported the brickwork contractor throughout the process by identifying opportunities for technical support, as well as providing a full technical review of architects’ drawings, a comprehensive mark-up and a scheduled breakdown of component location. The team also attended design meetings to ensure that the products were being used correctly, in addition to presenting a Tool Box Talk to the site team.

The Keyfix NCCT was specified due to its ‘one-piece system’ which allows for a very simple and efficient installation. The system is self-supporting as it doesn’t require fixing back to the internal frame, therefore saving valuable time when bricklaying. Significantly on this project, the completely self-supporting system works hand-in-hand with British Offsite’s prefabricated UNI Panel that is used for the internal leaf, ensuring that both systems would work in harmony with each other. Moreover, the combination of the two systems was beneficial as it helped to speed up construction onsite. The UNI panel incorporates the internal and external insulation, thus preventing the deconstruction of the pre-fitted external insulation on-site and having to reinstall the insulation.

In addition to the excellent speed of installation, the NCCT was specified as it exceeds building standards regarding non-combustibility. The NCCT is made using Grade 304 austenitic A1-rated stainless steel, ensuring that the building is protected against combustion in the event of a fire.

Additionally, austenitic stainless steel is known for its endurance, ensuring that the product’s quality never diminishes and the building is future-proofed for 100+ years.

Therefore, the building will always remain compliant if building regulations are to become more stringent. Moreover, the Keyfix NCCT is unique as it does not rely on tape or mastics to form its watertight joints negating the prevalent cause of product failure resulting in a stronger, more reliable system.

Jeremy Kealy, Site Manager at Weston Homes, commented, “This was our first time using the Keyfix Non-Combustible Cavity Tray, and we found the product to be very effective. Keyfix were informative and helpful to work with, and we would use them again in the future.”

Likewise, the Non-Combustible Cavity Tray Lintel (NCCTL) was specified due to its A1 fire rating, to future-proofing against building regulations.

Like the NCCT, the NCCTL is also made from Grade 304 austenitic stainless steel and is used due to its easy to install ‘fix and forget’ system.

The NCCTL also features mechanically-fixed stop ends that are manufactured and assembled in a controlled environment and therefore guarantee a watertight joint, ensuring no moisture can escape off the surface of the tray or lintel unless via the intended weep vent.

Commenting on the NCCT, Kieran Coyle of Keyfix stated, “The Keyfix Non-Combustible Cavity Tray was specified on this project due to its reputation for fire safety. The NCCT is an A1 fire rated system, providing our customers peace of mind as their building will always remain compliant with building regulations.”

The Victoria Central development is now complete, with the Keyfix Non-Combustible Cavity Tray having provided efficiency on-site as well as ensuring the highest standard of building safety for the building occupants for years to come.