Carlton House

High Road, Ilford, London

Project summary

The High Road development in Ilford, Essex, was one of OES Consulting’s largest and most ambitious projects to date. This £15 million, nine-storey mixed-use development spans approximately 13,400 square metres and includes residential units, office spaces, a banquet suite, and a two-storey car park. Located near the Seven Kings train station, this impressive building now provides 112 one- and two-bedroom apartments and stands as a testament to our team’s capabilities and commitment to engineering excellence.

Services provided

OES Consulting’s contributions encompassed structural and civil engineering along with BIM modelling.

Structural Engineering Designed reinforced ground beams and pile cap arrangements for the substructure, incorporating CFA concrete piles for a robust foundation.
Civil Engineering Integrated a sustainable drainage system (SUDS) to manage surface water run-off, utilising attenuation tanks and flow control devices to release water gradually and reduce the load on the public sewer system.
BIM Modelling Employed advanced BIM modelling to visualise and coordinate structural and civil elements, ensuring a streamlined, efficient construction process.

Challenges and solutions

The High Road project presented unique and significant challenges. Upon initiation, we discovered multiple constraints around the site’s perimeter: sewer lines on the north-east boundary, Network Rail infrastructure to the north, and power cables to the west. These factors severely limited foundation options.

Our team’s innovative solution was to employ cantilevered foundations along the eastern boundary to avoid damaging the shallow Thames Water asset while still supporting the nine-storey structure effectively. This bespoke and cost-effective design fully met the project brief, showcasing our commitment to ambitious, creative solutions even in complex conditions. Our use of reinforced concrete and a flat slab transfer structure underscored our dedication to reliability and structural integrity.