Client: Seymour Civil Engineering (for End User: Northumberland County Council)
Location: County Hall, Morpeth
project summary:
This exciting scheme involved the survey, preliminary and detailed design of a state-of-the-art solar car port array, and the major refurbishment of the existing 40 year old car park.
The existing car park serves the offices of Northumberland County Council and required resurfacing and remarking. The surface water drainage also required upgrading to accommodate current drainage standards, providing additional attenuation to protect downstream properties.
The project involved the design of a solar array which provides sustainable electric supply for 142 vehicle charging points. These serve 271 electric vehicles. The scheme also included the provision of battery storage and electrical apparatus within a secure compound.
The car park layout was redesigned the fit within the existing constraints to accommodate the solar array columns and vehicle charge point locations. Working together with multiple agencies and specialist solar companies our team developed several innovative ways to improve the infrastructure associated with the solar array.
The effective phasing of the works was critical to ensure that parking capacity was maintained whilst providing safe routes through the works for pedestrians and segregated working areas, ensuring the safety of the users was paramount. This is a key attribute of the Lynas Engineers way of working. We provided a design which considered the future access to the solar arrays, EV charging points and associated cables and ducts. Chambers and control boxes were positioned away from vehicle movement areas.
The car park was fully resurfaced with areas of full depth reconstruction where required; pedestrian routes were reviewed and redesigned to ensure safe routes with accessible features. The drainage network was upgraded to attenuate the surface water from the car park using an underground tank and flow controls to restrict flow into the adjacent watercourse. Pollution measures included the inclusion of oil separators. Working with Seymour Civil Engineering we ensured materials, specifications, and working methods were in keeping with planning; local and national guidelines and standards.
Challenges:
Liaising with multiple external partners with varying requirements on timeline and outcomes.
Cabling and ducting around existing apparatus. Providing a design with significant existing constraints and providing future safe access for maintenance.
successes:
Completing all design works to an exceptionally high standard using innovative solutions. Providing a robust design and assistance throughout construction – on time, under budget and with all stakeholders satisfied.
