Overview
This project included the alteration, refurbishment and extension of an existing two-storey mental health unit at Hereford County Hospital. The old dormitory-style accommodation was replaced with private, ensuite bedrooms in three remodelled in-patient wards.
JNP Group was appointed by the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust to provide Geoenvironmental, Transport Planning, Flood Risk, Civil and Structural design, and Party Wall services, supporting the scheme through the scheme development and planning application stage and were novated to the appointed design and build Contractor Galford Try for construction.
JNP Group provided proactive and co-ordinated multi-disciplinary services on this challenging redevelopment of a live clinical building, working closely with the building staff, third party surveyors, design team and contractor.
Project Solutions
JNP Group facilitated a temporary structural design that allowed the demolition of the building fabric below and adjacent to the patient’s bedrooms, using the existing building foundations as a form of support while ensuring patient safety.
Our engineers conducted extensive surveying of the existing building’s structure, working with clinical staff to minimise disruption to patients. These surveys allowed early identification of unknown constraints within the existing building’s structure and the designing of solutions. The surveys also allowed structures to be rationalised in areas to suit the existing building such as removing steelwork.
The site is partly located in Flood Zones 2 & 3. Flood mitigation measures were specified in the Flood Risk Assessment, including flood resilience components comprising anti-flood barriers, anti-flood air bricks and protection of vulnerable hospital entrances. A flood evacuation plan was also produced to ensure safe access and egress in the event of a flood.
Existing foul drainage was inspected and defects identified. Suitable remedial measures were proposed including lining, patching and reconstruction. Existing foul drainage pop-up locations were identified and reused in the design of the refurbished building.
The method of construction of new drains below the existing structural slab was developed in conjunction with the contractor to ensure the most effective and economical solution.
Summary
JNP Group worked closely with clinical staff to ensure that the demolition and building works could take place with minimal impact to patients and the day-to-day running of the hospital.
Our proactive nature to surveys allowed the constraints identified to be planned for or rationalised at an early stage to suit the existing building.
This project highlights JNP Group’s ability to deliver well co-ordinated multi-disciplinary services, from concept through to construction – implementing cost-effective and timely design solutions to address unknown constraints identified in surveys, drainage defects and flood evacuation.
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JNP Group Project Team
Project Manager: Gareth Stephenson, Khai Tran
Project Team: David Garner, Aadil Kapadia
Client: Galliford Try Building
Sector: Healthcare
Discipline: Structures, Geo, Civils, Flood Risk, Transport
Services Provided
- Flood Risk Assessment & Flood Evacuation Plan
- Drainage Strategy
- Geo-environmental site investigations, including contamination assessment and infiltration testing for soakaway design
- Traffic Management Plan
- Transport Statement and Travel Plan
- Assessment of existing foundations
- Design of structural steelwork for new openings
- Design of foundations and extension superstructures
- Party Wall Surveyor services
Challenges
- Working within a live hospital environment and designing so that temporary works can continue while areas of the building continue to be used.
- Unknowns associated with the existing hospital building’s structure.
- Site located in Flood Zones 2 & 3.
- Integrating new drainage into an existing drainage system, minimising works and working around existing and new foundations and slabs.
Solutions
- Justifying the continued use of elements the existing building structure and foundations.
- Identifying unknown constraints within the existing building’s structure by survey – rationalising and designing solutions.
- Producing a flood evacuation plan ensuring safe access and egress to and from the hospital in an event of a flood.
- Co-ordinate drainage survey and proposed suitable remedial measures to limited disruptive new works.
- Work with contractor to incorporating existing and new drainage withing existing constraints.
