Your guide to the HS2 Ltd proposals for the Park Village East retaining wall

• Provision of access for deliveries and temporary parking for residents of Park Village East, where possible.

• Proposals to make the new wall look similar in appearance to the old wall. For example, the use of brick facia.

Where would these works take place?The section of the retaining wall to be replaced is roughly opposite 16 to 36 Park Village East. These works would be phased along Park Village East to ensure ongoing pedestrian access for local residents. Under the current proposals, over short periods of time there would be pedestrian access only for properties from 16 to 36 Park Village East. The gardens and properties of Park Village East would not be needed to carry out the work. The construction site is planned to be located in the old carriage shed south of Mornington Street bridge and adjacent to Park Village East.

How would HS2 reduce settlement?With advances in modern construction techniques, devel-oped and proven on major projects tunnelling throughout London, we have learnt a lot about settlement and how to prevent adverse impacts . If necessary we would treat the groundtoavoidsignificantmovementbehindtheexistingre-tainingwall.Themosteffectivewayofdoingthisisbyusinga technique known as ‘compensation grouting’. In most cases thiswouldmeanyouwouldnotbeabletoseeanyeffectsof settlement. In some cases there may be small cracks in plaster, or doors or windows may stick. We would monitor properties before and after construction, and make good any damage resulting from our works.

How would access to my property be affected?By undertaking construction in phases, Park Village East would remain accessible to residents throughout the works and we would maintain pedestrian and emergency vehicle access at all times.

How can I find out more?For more information, please ring our public enquiries team on 020 7944 4908 or visit www.hs2.org.uk to keep up to date on our proposals.

More details on the proposed works in the area will be included in the consultation on the draft Environmental Statement. We encourage you to respond to the consultation.

Figure 4. (above) shows the area where the works will take place.

• The new wall would be constructed approximately 150m in length along Park Village East.

• The western footpath on Park Village East (in front of the houses) would be kept open.

• After the works, Park Village East would be re-instated.

How long will the works take?It is expected that works to replace the section of the retaining wall would take place over 12 months along Park Village East, currently proposed to start in 2017.

How would HS2 Ltd reduce the effects of the works on local residents?We are committed to working with you to reduce as far as practicable impacts on local residents, including:

• Adherence to strict construction management techniques outlined in HS2 Ltd’s Code of Construction Practice.

• Installation of movement, noise and dust monitoring systems which would be used throughout the works.

• Provisionofaccessforemergencyvehicles/firefightingprovisioninaccordancewithourlegalobligation.

IntroductionThis guide will tell you about current proposals to replace a section of the retaining wall between the railway and Park Village East. It explains:

• Why replacing a section of the retaining wall is necessary

• What the construction would involve

• How we would seek to reduce impacts on local residents including access to your property

Why is replacing a section of the retaining wall necessary?The station approach in the Park Village East area is already very constrained. To accommodate the new high speed track a ‘dive under’ (a short tunnel or underpass) through the cutting is required. To achieve the required depth the high speed track would need to be 10 metres lower than the existing track in some places.

Thisresultsinaconflictbothverticallyandhorizontallywith the Park Village East retaining wall necessitating the widening of the cutting to the west and a new section of retaining wall.

Has HS2 Ltd taken into account the ongoing subsidence issues in the area?The existing retaining wall, built in 1901, has been damaged and weakened over the years. The new wall would be stronger and may help address the historical problems faced in the area. Our engineers are aware of previous issues and have accounted for the settlement in the design and the choice of construction method.

How would the wall be built?We are still considering a number of solutions to reduce as far as practicable impacts on local residents. At this stage we are proposing to construct what is known as a ‘barrette wall’. These retaining walls are most commonly used in dense and historic urban areas and are constructed in a similar way to walls which have been used extensively on the Crossrail project. The work involves digging deep trenches which are stabilised using a liquid form of clay, and reinforced with concrete.

How would the works be carried out?• Works at Park Village East road level would be carried

out in phased sections (only one section at a time) within a temporary construction compound.

• At the existing track level, a construction compound would be set up to support most of the construction activity. This is where much of the construction equipment would be located.

• Mornington Street bridge would be removed and the listed elements (lamps and lamp piers) placed in storage. After the retaining wall works are complete, we plan to replace the bridge, with the listed elements, in its current position.

• During the works, Mornington Street bridge would be replaced by a temporary bridge, slightly to the south, providing access for pedestrians, cyclists and utilities.

Figure 2. (above) shows Park Village East during construction. Figure 3. (above) shows Park Village East after construction.

Figure 1. (left)shows the new retaining wall and the alignment of the HS2 dive under.