PROJECT TITLE:  Kingston Market Place fountain and pump system.

Date Completed:   Fri, 07 July, 2006
Value:   £ 350,000
Client/Company:   Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

The Market Place in Kingston upon Thames is well known amongst shoppers, offering an array of fruit, veg and meats locally produced. The central plaza has always been a meeting point for shoppers and the local authority wanted to make it more of an attraction for them by adding a fountain.

The plaza pumping system underneath the fountain.

The complete project was overseen by a qualified engineer. The pumping system and fountain was installed by a specialist contractor under our supervision as main contractor. The works were sectioned off from the main shopping area with hoarding and security fencing. The local residents and shop owners were consulted about environmental considerations such as noise and dust. Key stakeholders including engineers, residents' associations, schools, emergency services, and working groups were consulted in the weeks prior to the works. These groups identified a series of issues which would need to be mitigated before commencement of the works such as health & safety of school children and residents, how best to manage the traffic during the works, how best to locate services and any contingent plans for hospitals etc, what were the lines of communication open to the stakeholders, what design was most practical and what materials were best suited to this location. The feedback received from stakeholders was included in the final designs and plans which were approved by the local authority shortly before works commenced.

Morning shoppers enjoying a coffee near the fountain.

The build took place during restricted hours in the week to minimize disruption to shoppers. Before works commenced, our health & safety manager, the CDM coordinator, the project manager, and the engineer met onsite to discuss the programme of works. Once the programme was agreed each stakeholder signed off the project with a view to meeting regularly throughout the works. The works commenced on schedule. Where possible, we used our own resources and limited the use of subcontractors. The total project took 10 weeks to complete. If variation orders were issued these were fed back to the programme director and quantity surveyor for a possible reallocation of resources. With the help of our CDM coordinator, we located the services of statutory undertakers. Where necessary, we made provision for their adjustment / repair or simply noted them for future reference. As the project progressed, changes to tring restricted hours in the week to minimize disruption to shoppers.

The project was completed on time and now offers the shoppers of kingston a place to meet with the pleasing attraction of a water fountain and associated soft landscaping. Before we left site, we met with the various stakeholders associated with the project to resolve any issues and ask for signoff. Feedback to our projects is always welcome - that is one of the ways that helps to improve our service. The feedback so far has been positive. The local authority will closely monitor progress over the coming months to ensure that the improvements continue to offer the desired benefits.