Waterside Marina

The work of our geotechnical, infrastructure and structural engineers helped make a new seafront development viable. The site previously housed a boatyard, which caused considerable contamination through seepage of fuels, paints and solvents. Coupled with this, the seafront and nearby stream, Counters Creek, constitute ecologically sensitive areas.

To overcome the constraint of contamination, the entire shoreside site is sealed beneath a watertight concrete box, held in place by piles that can act in tension if water levels rise. The top of this forms a podium on which the development is founded — townhouses, apartment buildings, local shops, cafés and public land. Its height above sea level is determined by the 1 in 200 year flood. The interior of the box is used for parking.

The creation of a new marina for pleasure craft was also part of the project. We liaised with English Heritage and the Environment Agency in enlarging the existing facility without adversely affecting the silting patterns in the nearby creek mouth.