Efficiently and effectively affirming the site suitability for a residential housing project with associated public spaces.
Adjacent to Dagenham Docks train station and close to the now closed Ford site in Dagenham, the Chequers Lane site is currently being used for self-storage. Plans are underway to develop the area into a thriving residential neighborhood. This new scheme, comprised of three mixed-use buildings housing 380 units, will also feature parkland and shops.
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The Challenge
As the scheme would be located close to the River Thames with only low rise industrial buildings in-between, the development would be subjected to prevailing south-westerly winds. The client wanted to ensure the public spaces planned for the site would be suitable for their intended uses considering these wind conditions.
The client, hoping to develop the site for residential housing, turned to the wind engineering experts at RWDI to provide wind studies in support of the planning application.
Our Approach
RWDI’s team of wind experts was engaged as part of this project to meet the challenges presented by the wind conditions in this location. As part of this project, we:
- Conducted a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) review to develop mitigation measure recommendations, including building alignment changes and adding sizable landscaping
- Presented CFD review results to the client in a visual, easy-to-understand format
- Generated balcony design change recommendations to make these spaces less windy for occupants Collaborated closely with the design team to streamline the project design process through to submission
The Outcome
RWDI testing determined that the Chequers Lane site would be a suitable location for residential housing and associated public spaces. With the initial design advice implemented, we reported that comfort conditions were acceptable not only at the site, but also on the nearby train station platforms. This work was completed efficiently through minimal simulations.