1A Downs Road Development

The redevelopment of 1A Downs Road comprised of the demolition of all existing buildings and structures on the site, followed by the construction of four new buildings ranging from 1 to 15 storeys in height. The development delivered a mixed-use scheme incorporating business and commercial uses within Classes A1, A3, B1, D1 and D2, alongside the provision of 79 residential units. Associated works included the provision of dedicated cycle parking and the construction of a continuous secant piled wall to support excavation and construction activities.

Sixense were initially appointed by GHR Construction Limited, with the commission subsequently novated to Laxcon Construction, to deliver automated monitoring of the adjacent railway infrastructure during the Downs Road development. The scope of works comprised the design, installation and operation of an automated track and railway bridge monitoring system in compliance with Network Rail Standard NR/L2/CIV/177.

The monitoring scheme incorporated a Cyclops ATS system with track-mounted prisms and overhead line equipment (OHLE) monitoring, supplemented by wireless tiltmeters and a solar powered monitoring gateway to provide continuous, real-time data. Monitoring operations commenced in March 2017 and were maintained throughout the construction period, concluding successfully in May 2020.

The monitoring regime for the Downs Road project was successfully maintained throughout the baseline and construction phases, despite the challenges of the COVID 19 pandemic. Continuous automated monitoring protected the adjacent railway infrastructure, supported by reliable data capture and clear reporting. The Sixense monitoring system ensured full compliance with Network Rail standards and confirmed that construction activities had no adverse impact on railway assets. Monitoring was decommissioned in May 2020, concluding the works with no reportable exceedances attributable to the development.