DEMOLITION | CIVIL ENGINEERING | CONCRETE STRUCTURES | BUILDING | ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS

Scotland

Case Studies

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Commercial / Office Development

City of Edinburgh Council HQ

Services

Project Overview
Careys was awarded a complex substructure and superstructure contract adjacent to
Waverly Station, Edinburgh. The building is seven storeys high and covers the entire
footprint of the site, which has been overlaid on a series of brick arch vaults. These
vaults had to be demolished and a further 2m depth of spoil was removed to make way
for the 2 levels of underground car parking. Some 4,000m of foam concrete was used to
stabilise the vaults left.

Project Details
Client

City of Edinburgh Council

Location
Edinburgh, Scotland

Principal Contractor

Gallery

Miller Construction

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Beattie Watkinson

More Information
A complex support system of hydraulic props was required to support the contiguous pile
wall that retained the railway tracks. On two of the other excavations, ground anchors
were used to tie back the contiguous pile walls. Above the 2 levels of parking are the new
offices for the City of Edinburgh Council.
This is a 5 storey high quality finish concrete frame. The ceilings are formed with a series
of drop beams spanning 14m with the slab spanning between. To add to the aesthetic
appearance the concrete was curved from the bottom of the beam to the underside of
the slab.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Public / Health
Aberdeen Emergency Care

Project Overview
Careys expertise was drawn on by the principal contractor to convince the client that a
concrete design using PT slabs would provide significant benefits compared to a structural
steel frame when constructing the new Emergency Care Centre in Aberdeen. Benefits
discussed with NHS Grampian included: reduced build programme (4 weeks), increased
insulation and fire resistance properties and a reduced number of support columns
providing floor areas with flexibility of use. The client accepted the advice and Careys was
employed to build the substructure and superstructure works for the 8 storey building
and to provide the design of the PT floor-slabs.

Services

Project Details
Client
NHS Grampian

Location
Aberdeen, Scotland

Principal Contractor
Robertson Construction Group

Gallery

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Ramsey & Chalmers

More Information
The substructure works included construction of piles caps, ground beams and under-slab
drainage including an RC basement and RC service tunnels.
The 4 RC cores were constructed using a crane assisted jump-form system in advance
of the floor construction. The frame includes both in-situ and precast concrete columns
erected as the PT floorslab construction proceeds on a floor by floor cycle.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Retail / Shopping Centres

Union Square

Services

Project Overview
This development is situated next to the Railway Station and incorporated a new bus
station and 55,000 m of retail space. Careys was contracted to carry out all earthworks,
piling mats, foundations, underground services, drainage, ground floor slabs, service
and bus station brushed finished concrete slabs, upper floors on metal decking, hard
landscaping and major highway works for the access and egress into the development.
Railway station alterations included the construction of new lift pits, corridor roof slabs
and removal and lowering of existing floor slabs. Works were undertaken out of hours for
minimal disruption to the station schedule.

Project Details
Client
Hammerson Plc

Location
Aberdeen, Scotland

Principal Contractor

Gallery

Millers

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Fairhurst

More Information
The contract was split into 2 phases, the first to provide a 5,500 m car park to replace
the existing station car park which was incorporated into the development and the
construction of the new bus station with the structure for the cinema.
During phase 1 works, Network Rail moved from the goods yard, next to the station, to a
new facility at Dyce close to the airport. Once the move was completed work on phase 2;
the retail space commenced.
The retail space is a steel framed building founded on piles with a ground level carpark
and a multi-storey carpark above the units. Access to the parking levels was via a
reinforced concrete elongated U shaped ramp for the cars and a 3 story RC stair and lift
tower for pedestrians.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Commercial / Office Development

RBS Eurpopean HQ

Services

Project Overview
Careys was initially instructed to perform a small enabling package for a car park near to
Gogarburn House which is part of the above site, following successful completion Scudder
was then appointed to demolish the former Gogarburn Hospital. Demolition made way for
the Royal Bank of Scotlands new European headquarters. Scudder was also instructed
to carry out removal and disposal of asbestos containing materials found on the site. A
further contract was awarded to Careys as lead groundworks contractor.

Gallery

Project Details
Client

Royal Bank of Scotland

Location
Edinburgh, Scotland

Principal Contractor
Mace

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Robert Bird Associates / Doig & Smith

More Information
The demolition works involved the removal & disposal of 350 tonne of asbestos
containing materials and on site processing (recycling) of 20,000 tonnes of arisings,
whilst maintaining designed site specific environmental protection measures.
Careys was then contracted as a lead groundworks contractor, constructing a substantial
element of the new European Headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland under an
earthworks and drainage package, which required approximately 120,000m3 of earth to
be moved on to the site. This earth was required to create a basement for the new HQ.
The development covered a 78 acre site and included 350,000 sq ft office accommodation
with all the new access routes to site also being constructed including; pedestrian and
cyclist routes and bridges. Associated street furniture included a bus stop, a water feature
- clad with black granite from China, and granite benches.
The scope of works included hard landscaping at the offices to create a central area
for staff. These works included laying granite set paving and Caithness (Scottish type
granite) stone paving, granite kerbed footpaths with resin bound finish, granite steps and
granite cubes were laid to a Bogen pattern. An artificial grass football pitch and basketball
court was built as a leisure facility. Soft landscaping was carried out throughout the
extensive site for the installation of trees, plants and turfed areas. Careys works involved
the preparation and placing of substantial areas of the site including importing soil ready
for planting. Close collaboration, coordination and planning were carried out between
Careys and the specialist soft landscaping trade contractor.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Retail / Food & General

Sainsburys

Services

Project Overview
Careys are proud to have worked in partnership with Sainburys since 1989 on
commissions throughout the UK and Ireland. Our relationship initially developed
through our demolition business; Scudder, which carried out projects to such a high
standard Careys were invited to tender for main works packages. The continued
success of project delivery led to Careys being awarded the design and build/
extension contract for Sainsbury petrol stations, and we have now become a
first tier contractor on the nationwide capital car park and drainage maintenance
package.

Project Details
Client
Sainsburys Supermarkets Plc

Location
Various

Principal Contractor

Gallery

Various

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Various

More Information
In 1989 we embarked on our 1st major project at London Colney, this external works
package proved to be a shining example of Careys commitment to delivery, almost
halving the programme from 37 weeks to 20 weeks.
As the hypermarket format became more mainstream, other stores were developed
across England, with Careys playing an ever larger role in each project. In 1995
Careys received the first commission to carry out substructure and external
works at a flagship store in Hamilton, Scotland. This was quickly followed by a
rollout programme of stores across the country with Careys undertaking various
commissions.
The larger store format has proliferated since the late 1990s, and Careys has
completed in excess of 200 UK contracts, delivering infrastructure, drainage,
landscaping, roadworks and the construction of superstructures.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Commercial / Office Development

BBC Scotland HQ

Services

Project Overview
The BBC Scotland Headquarters is situated on the bank of the River Clyde. The
substructure was heavily reinforced with pile caps and ground beams sitting on large
diameter [up to 1200mm] piles. This involved the placing 900t of reinforcement and
2,500m of concrete.
The superstructure columns were set on a 9m grid and varied in height from 3.0m up to
6.0m. All columns were constructed with a fine smooth finish with sharp arises.
The central atrium was constructed in structural steelwork with metal decked concrete
floors. It contained four lift and stair cores, with precast concrete stair flights.

Project Details
Client
BBC

Location
Glasgow, Scotland

Principal Contractor

Gallery

Bovis Lend Lease

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Faber Maunsel / Gleeds

More Information
The 4.6m high columns in the atrium area were constructed kickerless and seamless, with
no horizontal ply wood joints. The upstand beams around the atrium were formed with a
fine smooth finish with a regular ply pattern. The total floor area of 32,500m was spread
over 5 main floors and a mezzanine, with around 500t of reinforcement and 2,000m of
concrete per floor. The 450mm thick concrete floors were constructed using large table
forms.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Commercial / Mixed Use

Justice Mill Lane

Services

Project Overview
The Carey team was appointed to provide sub and superstructure works on this Hotel
and Office Block development in Aberdeen, including underground car park. The scope of
works also included bulk excavation and all external hard landscaping of the site. A total
of 13,000m3 of concrete was poured throughout the duration of this project.

Project Details
Client

Hazeldene Ltd

Location
Aberdeen, Scotland

Principal Contractor

Gallery

Miller Construction

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Buro Happold

More Information
The contract works undertaken by Careys included; installation of all underground
drainage and ducts; earthworks, off site and on site cut and fill; construction of pile caps;
construction of 8 concrete stair and lift cores (constructed using rail climbing system) and
ground floor slab.
The substructure is 3 levels of underground concrete frame car park all with post
tensioned slabs. The superstructure is a 7 storey concrete frame hotel and 6 storey
concrete frame office block both with post tensioned slabs.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Public / Education
University of Aberdeen - Library

Project Overview
The University of Aberdeen, which was established in 1495 and is one of the oldest
English language universities in the world and of real historical importance. Careys
works included; ground floor slab, concrete cores, retaining walls and suspended slabs.
The project was to carry out the construction of in-situ reinforced concrete basement
walls, columns, podium deck and 2 no. large nine storey cores (both containing 9 cells)
resulting in 3,000m3 of concrete being poured. The columns, soffit and core concrete are
all exposed faces.

Services

Project Details
Client
University of Aberdeen

Location
Aberdeen, Scotland

Principal Contractor
Pihl UK Ltd.

Gallery

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Arup

More Information
The 15,500 square metres of floor-space will host over a quarter of a million books,
maps and manuscripts, as well as 1,200 reader spaces in a variety of environments.
Additionally, special libraries and archives offer historical collections in connection to a
secure rare books reading room. The new library will run by approximately 60 staff and
serve a community of over 16,000 students.
The historic nature of the site brought challenges to the project but Careys philosophy
of approaching every project with care, planning and attention to detail ensured that the
project ran smoothly.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Retail / Food & General

Aldi

Services

Project Overview
Careys was contracted to provide the civil engineering works on sites across Scotland.
Careys undertook the concrete and external works on 14 stores, and have additionally
completed resurfacing work for the car park at Dumfries and minor works on the Stirling
store. The stores are generally built on inner city brown field sites which give rise to their
own problems of access, underground obstructions and existing site features.

Project Details
Client
Aldi

Location
Scotland

Principal Contractor

Gallery

Mace, LM Construction and Chard Ltd.

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Woolgar Hunter and Stuart McTaggart /
Doig & Smith

More Information
The stores are steel framed and clad with pre-cast concrete panels, metal sheeting,
curtain walling, or a mixture. Careys role was to construct the foundations and install
pre-cast ground beams, retaining walls, and the floor slabs. The average size of a store
is 1800m comprising of power floated warehouse and office accommodation and the
remainder sales floor which is usually tiled.
The external drainage works can be constructed around a SUDS system where required;
this usually involved the installation of a large Stormcell attenuation tank, backed up with
stone filled filter trenches to discharge the water back to ground. The external areas
have tarmac circulation routes with block paved parking bays and concrete service yards/
delivery bays. The block paving is laid on no fines aggregate to allow draining back to
filter drains.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Commercial / Mixed Use

Anderson Regeneration

Services

Project Overview
The initial project undertaken by Careys was to carry out the enabling works. After
the successful completion a further project was awarded for the substructure and
superstructure packages of the development which included construction of a 7 storey
commercial and 21 storey residential building. An added challenge to the project was
that works were carried out in a complex inner city environment with the site bordering a
major hotel, residential property and one of the busiest streets in Glasgow City Centre.

Gallery

Project Details
Client

Taylor Woodrow Ltd

Location
Glasgow, Scotland

Principal Contractor
Vinci Construction

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Halcrow Yolles

More Information
The enabling works involved the construction of; a 50m long retaining wall, 150m of
6m deep drainage diversion, the exposure and protection of transatlantic fibre optic
cables and the placing of 12,000m3 of piling mat. Careys remit for the substructure and
superstructure packages for the commercial building involved the construction of three
32m high reinforced concrete (RC) cores, drainage, pile caps, ground beams (concrete
works consisting of 6200m3 of concrete) and a seven storey steel structure.
The scope of works for the residential building consisted of two number RC cores. The
cores were constructed ahead of the RC floors and columns which consisted of twentyone storeys covering 645m2 with twenty-three RC columns. Two tower cranes had been
erected at 72m high and 76m high using a 500t mobile crane with an extended fly jib to
assist with this phase of works. In order to minimise the crane usage, the structure was
constructed with the use of a 66m high static pump to place the concrete. A mixture of
sky decking and tables were used for the formwork.
Programme targets of the construction of one storey per week were all achieved. The site
itself created a challenge due to the confined space and inner city location, bordering the
14 storey Marriot Hotel, two 20 storey blocks of council flats and Argyle Street in the city
centre of Glasgow. Working in a sensitive inner city location, health and safety for the
site workers and the public was our greatest concern and traffic management, logistical
planning and restricted site access were a priority.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Commercial / Office Development

West Regent Street

Services

Project Overview
Careys was awarded the contract to construct this 10 storey Post Tension Concrete
Frame in the centre of Glasgow. The scope of works included the following; supply and
install groundworks, pile caps, drainage, ground slab, concrete frame and core including
associated works. Design, supply and installation of suspended concrete slabs including
post tensioning were also carried out by Careys.
This post tension (PT) concrete frame consisted of a 10 storey concrete superstructure, 2
no. concrete cores, (one with 3 no. lift shafts), a car pit to hold 9 no. cars below ground
level and all foundations and below ground drainage.

Project Details
Client

CSE (West Regent Street) Ltd.

Location
Glasgow, Scotland

Principal Contractor

Gallery

VINCI Construction UK Limited

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Hodgins Smith / VINCI

More Information
The contract began with the construction of the tower crane base, core bases and car
pit. Core construction progressed while the ground floor slab was constructed followed
by the suspended concrete slabs. A panel system that was used to form the soffits of the
suspended slabs with a framed perimeter providing a safe working platform for our PT
contractor; cycle times of between 8 -10 days were typically achieved between floors.
The construction of the suspended slabs was broken down into three pours per level due
to the restrictions caused by PT construction, with a total floor area of 880m2.
Freyssinet were awarded the subcontract for the PT works on site. Cables were
tensioned up to 25% after 1 day, and to 100% after 3-4 days depending on cube
results. With PT slabs the concrete is put into compression which means the amount of
reinforcement required can be reduced. It also allows greater spans between columns
giving a greater uninterrupted floor area. PT slabs also allow the thickness of concrete
slabs to be reduced allowing for a greater height between floors.

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Hotel, Art & Leisure / Leisure

Aberdeen Aquatic Centre

Project Overview
The Aquatics Centre project is the next phase of the Aberdeen Sports Village
development, and will include a 50m pool, allowing international level swimming events
to be hosted in Aberdeen. Careys provided a reinforced concrete structure; constructed
centrally between both the main pool and the diving pool structures. This will house the
various water treatment processing plant, electrical & drainage services. This structure
will be fully enclosed at low level and will allow for the construction of the changing
area and various facilities which will be located on top of the structural suspended slab
covering the plant room area.

Gallery

More Information
60 ground bearing pad foundations will be constructed around the extent of the
construction area. These will support the steel portal frame for the main pool, diving pool
and aquatic centre envelopes. A ground bearing slab will also be constructed between the
main pool, dive pool and plant room areas in a crescent shape to all of the facilities in the
same footprint.
In addition to the construction Careys will undertake the complete drainage package to
provide the foul, surface and treated water networks, some of which will be constructed
at up to 6m in depth in saturated sands and gravels. Included within the drainage
package will be the construction of a concrete surrounded GRP backwash tank, pumping
station and 60m3 surface water attenuation tank.
The pool comprises a 50m long by 25m wide tank to provide ten swimming lanes. To
comply with current Olympic standards the tolerances between each of the end walls will
be within +/- 3mm to ensure accurate timing of competitive events. The pool will also
contain a state-of-the-art floating floor system (situated at the deep end) which will allow
the pool floor level to be adjusted specifically for individual activities.

Services

Project Details
Client
John Graham (Dromore) Ltd

Location
Aberdeen, Scotland

Case Studies
Sector
Project

Residential & Regeneration /

Residential Apartments
Glasgow Harbour

Project Overview
Careys was contracted to construct a substructure of pile caps and ground beams and
a superstructure of 5 stair and lift cores, along with a 3.0m deep basement car park.
The cores varied in height from 7 up to 14 storeys. The basement retaining walls were
constructed using traditional plywood on aluminium walers and steel soldiers tied with
through bolts. Traditional decking was used to build the landings. The stairs were precast
and installed using the tower cranes. The works involved Careys fixing 450 tonne of
reinforcement and pouring 3500m of concrete into 12,000m of formwork.

Services

Project Details
Client
Dawn Construction Ltd

Location
Glasgow, Scotland

Principal Contractor
Dawn Construction Ltd

Gallery

Engineer / Consultant / PQS

Hodgins Smith

More Information
Glasgow Harbour is a residential development that has been built in several phases on
the site of the old grain dock on the North bank of the river Clyde, opposite the Govan
shipyards.

Operating throughout the UK & Ireland, the Carey Groups Head Office is located in Wembley
with further regional offices in Milton Keynes, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
Headquarters
CAREY GROUP PLC
Carey House
Great Central Way
Wembley
Middlesex HA9 0HR
T 020 8900 0221
admin@careysplc.co.uk
Milton Keynes
CAREY GROUP PLC
Chesney Wold , Bleak Hall
Buckinghamshire MK6 1NJ
T 01908 668383
Bristol
CAREY GROUP PLC
2440 The Quadrant, Aztec West
Bristol BS32 4AQ
T 01454 877674
Ireland
CAREY GROUP PLC
Carey House
Dardistown, Cloghran
Co. Dublin
T 00353 1 842 7300
Scotland
CAREY GROUP PLC
Carey House
21 Shairps Business Park
Houstoun Road, Livingston
West Lothian EH54 5FD
T 01506 444 448

www.careysplc.co.uk