Overview

Established in 1992, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust is one of the UK’s largest teaching Trusts and are responsible for managing two major hospitals in Coventry and Rugby, which serve a population of over a million people.

Along with the healthcare of the local population, the Trust is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the buildings and land, which has included a new 1,600-spce car park at the University Hospital in Coventry, which has featured on the BBC’s Hospital show recently.

Available to staff, patients and visitors, the new car park will increase parking capacity and aims to make it easier to use the hospital, as well as improve vital access for emergency vehicles and public transport.

The project was awarded to civil engineers, Montel last year and includes a below ground water management system to ensure better surface water runoff and treat runoff from impermeable surfaces, such as the car park, where there is a high build-up of sediments, floatables and petroleum products.

Solution

Supplied by Marshalls Civils & Drainage, the precast Downstream Defender combines greater design flexibility with optimum efficiency and minimal maintenance, and can typically achieve 80% removal of grits, silts and oils as well as using a much smaller footprint than conventional gravity and swirl-type devices.

Made up of a precast chamber with internal polypropylene components and no moving parts, the Downstream Defender is designed to include a rotational flow pattern and a low head loss, achieving a long, stable flow path to maximise separation of solids floatables and oils within a smaller footprint.

Washout is prevented by retaining captured sediments in an isolated storage area at the bottom of the concrete chamber and a built-in trap stores any oils and floatables. Sediments are removed periodically by standard vacuum tanker equipment.

The downstream defender water management solution is particularly effective at removing and retaining sediments that carry with them adsorbed chemical pollutant, metals and hydrocarbons.

Clients Comments

Will Bilbrough, Development Director, Prime said: “We are delighted that the plans have been approved and that work can now begin on this much-needed car park for the University Hospital Coventry. We worked closely with the Trust and Coventry City Council throughout the planning process to overcome the challenges involved in developing a site of this nature.”

Professor Andy Hardy, Chief Executive Officer, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust said:“We are extremely grateful to Coventry City Council for listening to the views of our patients and staff. This new car park will hopefully transform the experience for our patients, visitors and staff. This development will allow us to offer additional secure car parking to our dedicated and deserving staff, who work around the clock to care for patients.”

“Car parking has historically been one of the biggest issues we face as a Trust. I’m excited that we will soon be able to improve everybody’s overall experience.”

To find out more about the Marshalls Civils & Drainage Downstream Defender please visit www.marshalls.co.uk/commercial/product/downstream-defenders