Polypipe has
supplied a range of market leading plastic piping systems to Birmingham’s new
£50 million Wholesale Market.
The new Wholesale
Market has been relocated to IM Properties' development The Hub in Witton, just
3 miles north of the city centre, and in close connection to the M6 and A34.
The new facility
includes a 241,885 sq ft warehouse facility, containing nearly 80 business
units selling meat, fish, poultry and horticultural goods. The site also hosts
a 450 space car park, and protects the status of the market as the biggest of
its kind in the UK.
A broad range of
Polypipe Civils and Infrastructure products have been installed at the site,
including Ridgidrain and Ridgistorm-XL large diameter piping system for surface
water drainage, Polystorm-R for surface water attenuation, Polysewer and EN
1401 sewer pipes for foul water. A range of cable protection systems for vital
electricity supplied to the buildings at the 18 acre site has also been
provided.
The team at main
contractor Benniman Construction specified the Polypipe products as an
alternative to systems made from traditional materials such as concrete and
clay piping, following advice from Groundworker EP McEvilly; who cited the ease
with which Polypipe’s plastic systems, which are much lighter in weight than
traditional solutions, could be installed – a major factor on a project with a
tight timeframe.
To manage on-site
surface water run-off, 18,750 Polystorm-R cells have been installed underneath
the site’s proposed outdoor car park and vehicle access areas, to capture and
attenuate up to 3,555m³ of stormwater. The Polystorm-R system is environmentally
sustainable, providing the market with a low maintenance, reliable system.
900m of Ridgidrain
surface water drainage pipe was installed along access roads and around
building parameters, which then connected via manholes into 32m of 900mm
Ridgistorm-XL large diameter pipe, to manage the high volume of water from the
site before releasing into the main sewer network.
Polypipe EN1401
sewer pipe is connected to over 1km of 150mm Polysewer pipes and fittings to
help manage the flow of foul and waste water from the site buildings and
business units, providing a long life, low maintenance gravity system that is
resistant to chemicals and abrasions.
In addition, over
10km of ENATS class 2 specification Ridgiduct Power cable protection was
installed. This system is low in weight, flexible, durable and high in strength
to deal with any loading on site, and it was used across the site to protect
vital electricity supplied to the new buildings.
Dave Meenaghan,
project manager at EP McEvilly, comments: “This project had very tight
timescales, so we were happy to recommend Polypipe’s plastic products in favour
of concrete and clay materials. We find their products quicker to install with
excellent reliability, and it has kept this important project on track.”
Rosie Cheetham,
Marketing Manager, at Polypipe adds: “The wholesale market is such an integral
part of Birmingham’s commerce and community bringing in £50m to the city each
year. We are delighted to supply a wide range of surface water drainage and
sewerage products to such an important project.”
