Forging an award-winning partnership – Mount Anvil
Mount Anvil prides itself on creating exceptionally designed homes in London’s most outstanding locations, including the UK’s tallest residential brick tower, Keybridge in Vauxhall, the spectacular Dollar Bay dockside development overlooking Canary Wharf and the iconic Queen’s Wharf in Hammersmith.
Mount Anvil’s 261 City Road, or Lexicon as it is better known, is a joint venture between central London’s specialist residential-led developer Mount Anvil and housing association Affinity Sutton. Being the tallest tower in Islington, its world-class design is attracting attention from all over the world.
Lexicon has been delivered in conjunction with Mount Anvil’s world-renowned design partners, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) (architects), WSP (engineers) and Hoare Lea (mechanical, electrical and environmental engineers).
The project consists of three blocks incorporating 200 one, two and three-bedroomed private apartments which have taken their lead from the culture and energy of the Lexicon’s location.
It also includes 107 rented, shared ownership and key worker apartments, as well as two eight-storey blocks located on The City Basin waterside, its centrepiece, the 36-storey sleek glass tower is located on City Road.
As well as forging meaningful relationships with the local boat club, school and community groups, the Mount Anvil project team have also assisted the London Fire Brigade with their training.
One of the main challenges of the project has been its extremely central location – the site is bounded by public open space, private dwellings, student accommodation, a college and one of the main arterial roads into London. It also sits over one of London’s most important power cables that supplies power to the City of London.
Partial occupation of the blocks as the work proceeded also led to close interfaces with residents and the workforce. Traffic management was also a major challenge on this project.
You can find out how the Mount Anvil project team rose to these many challenges below:
- These smart traffic marshals presented a professional image and engaged well with the public, providing a very positive first impression of the site. They also sweep at least twice daily.
- Regular checks of PPE were made to ensure that this remained in a good, clean condition and action was taken to refresh as necessary.
- All operatives changed on site and PPE was removed before operatives left site during the day. A mirror on the public side of the turnstile encouraged operatives to ensure that they present a tidy image before leaving the site.
- The site employed a full-time presentation labourer whose sole task was to monitor the external appearance of the site and to take necessary action. In addition, algae was removed from the adjacent canal basin each day and there were measures in place for this to continue after project completion.
- Corporate identity was evident throughout the site; company values clearly communicated at induction and reinforced by information displayed.
- The Mount Anvil project team assisted the London Fire Brigade with their training by allowing its tower crane to be used by the brigade’s abseiling teams to simulate working in a realistic environment.
- Each traffic marshal was handpicked and trained to ensure there was always a pleasant, calm voice of authority at all interface points between pedestrians and vehicles. This equally applied when vehicles were moving around site.
- The site team forged meaningful relationships with the local boat club, school and community groups.
- Delivery drivers were well treated and provided with hot drinks on site.
- The site had a local labour target in place and had achieved 75% of this target during the second Monitor visit. They also engaged in a ‘reach out’ to source more labour.
- The site sponsored a number of local events and the level of sponsorship provided allowed some charities to generate more funds as a result.
- There were outstanding levels of care provided to an injured cyclist by the site team and there were also other examples of goodwill gestures, as well as individual charity support.
- An environmental site plan indicated the location of any environmental hazards and particularly sensitive areas on site. This was displayed in various places throughout the site.
- Each area of the building had its own environmental manager and a designated environmental emergency response team was in place.
- The site had an environmental champion who was supported by visits from the company’s environmental advisor each month.
- Waste was well-managed on site and JIT (Just in Time) deliveries were in place to minimise the risk of damage (and therefore waste) to materials while stored.
- KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for waste, power and fuel use were in place and performance against targets displayed to operatives.
- Each subcontractor nominated an environmental champion and ensured that one in four toolbox talks were based on environmental issues.
- Operatives were encouraged to use public transport and the team ensured the green travel plan was communicated to all, with a carbon reduction challenge to increase operative’s awareness.
- Appropriate energy/water saving measures were in place within the site accommodation.
- The site completed a clean-up of the algae in the canal basin and more contributions to the maintenance of the canal were expected as an environmental legacy.
- A full environmental inspection of the site was undertaken each week.
- The site achieved 100% diversion from landfill and waste was managed in separately labelled skips in a specific managed waste area. There was careful planning of the works to minimise waste.
- Waste records were well displayed with other environmental KPIs and achievements (including power and water) shown in a dashboard format.
- The company’s environmental and sustainability policy was sent out with all orders to ensure supplier compliance.
- Noise and dust were monitored three times each day with handheld monitors and assessments of work undertaken to minimise impact.
- The company health and safety advisor audited the site weekly and health and safety KPIs were in place. The health and safety performance of all company sites was monitored in a league table. A subcontractor’s performance league table was also in place.
- Site inductions were conducted three times per week and all operatives were re-inducted every three months, or after any infringement.
- The site incentivised appropriate safety behaviour rather than applying sanctions for non-compliance. Those awarded green cards were entered into a weekly prize draw.
- Crane rescue equipment was provided to each crane, rather than at a central point, to effect a faster rescue if necessary.
- Drugs and alcohol testing was in place – the whole workforce was tested for alcohol at induction and one random operative undergoes drug screening. Further testing was applied to 10% of safety-critical operatives each week, together with random drug and alcohol testing to a significant proportion of operatives.
- Accidents were reported and investigated appropriately and the management team had a contractual obligation to report at least one near miss each week. Operatives reported near misses via their supervisors.
- A defibrillator was on site with appropriately trained staff, which was also available for public use.
- The site achieved over 1.1 million man hours without a RIDDOR accident.
- A company health and safety advisor visited three times per week and operatives underwent safety coaching on site.
- All on site were required to complete hazard cards each week and hazards and accidents were recorded on the site’s online system to allow the analysis of trends.
- The site’s accident reporting procedure was sent also out to subcontractors with detailed information included.
- Hazard boards were provided for each block on site and updated as required.
- Good practice was rewarded through a voucher scheme.
- All operatives were inducted and re-inductions carried out after six months on site for the whole workforce.
- A not-for-profit Centre of Excellence was opened, which provided training for both company employees and subcontractors on site.
- There was a specialist paramedic based on site, focused on proactive health management and offering free health checks for all Mount Anvil staff and subcontractors.
- Occupational health was delivered by an appropriately qualified male paramedic who offered drop in sessions and a specific monthly focus on health issues.
- ‘Fitness for Role’ assessments were offered to the workforce on a voluntary basis, in addition to drop-in sessions and targeted health awareness sessions.
- Those testing positive for drugs and alcohol were offered support if appropriate.
- An employee consultation was run with a monthly operative’s forum and feedback provided via supervisors.
- Fitbits were provided to the direct workforce and subcontractors were encouraged to become involved.
- Members of staff had access to an online recording system to promote competition for fitness improvement.
