Soapworks | Ground Investigation

We were appointed by Bankfoot APAM to carry out site investigation works for the Phase 1 Soapworks development in Salford.

The 8.5-acre Soapworks site, formerly home to the Colgate factory, is undergoing a phased redevelopment to transform it into a vibrant mixed-use community delivering:

• 578 new homes, including 78 affordable homes.
• 12,800 sq m of flexible commercial and employment space.
• A new public park and enhanced public realm.
• Improved pedestrian and cycle connectivity to Salford Quays and the River Irwell corridor.

As a highly constrained and busy, operational site the initial process was to engage with the client, design team and site management to best understand how we could deliver an appropriate ground investigation to the expectations of all stakeholders, providing the best quality information with the least amount of disruption to on-going site activities.

Given the long history of industrial development at the site significant below ground obstructions were anticipated. The main investigation works comprised the use of a Geobore S drilling system to advance through obstructions, superficial deposits and rock to ensure the best possible geotechnical parameters were obtained for detailed foundation and structural design. These works were supplemented by a series of shallow window sample boreholes to collect near surface soils and groundwater data to help understand the contamination status of near surface deposits and groundwater bodies.

The results of the investigation will enable understanding of potential abnormal development costs relating to ground remediation requirements, disposal of waste soils, grubbing up of buried obstructions and determining the most economical foundations solution to ultimately allow value engineering and de-risking of the key constraints by the design team where possible.