A new extra care housing development has adopted market leading Weholite technology to help safeguard vulnerable residents from the risk of flooding.
Asset International Ltd (Asset), manufacturer of high density polyethylene pipe (HDPE), has been commissioned by sub-contractor, Seddon Construction, to provide a Weholite Storm Water Attenuation Tank, to manage excess water and prevent flooding at the £2.85m Sorogold Street project in St Helens.
The development is being delivered by Ashley House, leading developers in the health and social care property market, in partnership with St Helen’s Council. When complete, it will provide a new extra care housing facility comprising of 27 units that will cater for residents with learning difficulties, and people with physical and sensory disabilities.
Steve Dawson, Quantity Surveyor for Seddon Construction, commented: “With the north west of England accustomed to significant levels of rainfall, new developments are required to address the collection of surface water. It’s also particularly pertinent to safeguard vulnerable residents from potential flooding and the associated disruption.
“When choosing a solution it was imperative that we sourced United Utilities approved products. After much research and planning, Weholite presented itself as not only the best but most cost-effective solution for the project.”
Weholite attenuation tanks are designed to manage peak flow rates, by storing excess flow on site during heavy rainfall and then releasing it gradually via an outfall.
The tank, which is being installed under the site’s car park, has a storage capacity of 300m3 and is made up of five parallel runs of 2.4m diameter Weholite pipe, with six integral 1.2m diameter access shafts.
Steve Dawson continued: “Weholite also has many other benefits. The pipe’s lightweight design enabled us to reduce the amount of lifting equipment required and as a result we were able to keep disturbance to a minimum, which was vital because of the residential area adjacent to the site. All in all, I would say that Weholite proved to be a highly cost-effective solution.”
Weholite pipes unlike traditional materials can be moved in 14m lengths as opposed to 2.5m sections, meaning the amount of tracking across the site from the delivery area to the tank excavation was also reduced, enabling the use of a single machine. The pipes also nest inside each other for transportation, eliminating the need for multiple lorry loads saving a considerable amount of disturbance to the local area.
Gareth Green, Technical Sales Engineer at Asset International Ltd, said: “This is our first project undertaken on behalf of Seddon Construction and we are delighted to be the chosen partner for this flood alleviation scheme.
“The brief was to provide a cost-effective alternative to the concrete box culvert that was both easy to install and, due to the waste water regulations in the north west, United Utilities approved. Weholite has developed an excellent reputation for its ease of use, cost saving capabilities and environmental benefits due to its lightweight design, so we were a good match.”
For more information about Weholite please call Asset International Ltd. on 01633 273081 or visit www.weholite.co.uk
