Story Homes has partnered with Anderton Concrete to utilise its unique Stepoc concrete shuttering technology to construct retaining walls as part of the development of 40 residential dwellings in Greystoke, West of Penrith.

As the ground across the site was uneven in places, retaining walls of up to 1.8metres were required to ensure an optimal construction was achieved. However, once ground was broken, an unexpected incline of almost 2.5metres between three pairs of gardens was uncovered. This left the developers with a new challenge to ensure the difference in height was addressed by retaining the ground safely and quickly to minimise any potential disruption to the build and maximise on site efficiencies.

Story Homes considered several retaining wall possibilities but specified Anderton Concrete’s Stepoc shuttering system because of its quick installation traits and ability to retain ground up to 4.0metres in height.

"The initial design details for the scheme were based on a series of smaller garden retaining walls to create back to back terraced gardens, the details employed at this stage were in line with our internal standard suite of retaining wall designs. In order to bring improvements to these garden areas whilst balancing cost, buildability and space on site we decided to utilise the Anderton Concrete Stepoc system," explains Scott Bradshaw, Engineering Manager, Cumbria and Scotland, Story Homes. "The slenderness of the Stepoc wall meant that with restricted space on the site, the overall amount of slope that had to be cut back could be reduced, saving precious time. This was the same with the overall speed of installation, which was swift and primarily enabled by the lack of steel fixing required in the stem."

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Stepoc's precast concrete block technology is unique in its versatility to facilitate the construction of retaining walls for multiple applications. Story Homes had previously specified the technology, but it was a first for the company's Site Manager, Paul Woodruff, who was impressed with its wholesale benefits and adaptability. "Speed of build, ease of installation, efficiency of space in the design, and cost effectiveness. They're all impressive positives from using Stepoc at Greystoke. It is the first time I have used the technology and I found it very simple and straightforward, which was perfect for the timing challenge we faced on this project specifically.

"It was interesting to find that, once you have the base, metal work and a first level in place, it really does fly up, and being in Cumbria where weather can sometimes hinder project timelines, it was great only to be dependent on good weather for the concrete pour, as the wall was laid in the rain, and just as easily as it would in dry conditions. I’ll certainly use Stepoc again and the feedback from the contractors on site was they found it extremely easy to install too."

Stepoc's ability to solve the problem of a considerable incline between gardens was achieved because of its flexible construction and ease of installation. As the wall can be laid dry, it saves valuable time, whilst the concrete pour cascades inside the wall, meaning minimal mess and maintenance. It can also be installed in various weather conditions, meaning no lengthy delays to overall construction times.

"We've worked with Story Homes across Cumbria for a while now and have a good relationship," explains Derek Gallimore, Site Supervisor at R D Nairn Construction who installed Stepoc at Greystoke. "I had not used Stepoc before so I was interested to see how its use would aid construction and it didn't disappoint. Alongside the height difference between the gardens, there was also a weight factor to be considered from the topside, and Stepoc dealt with this.

"Using the technology for the first time was incredibly easy and intuitive, with everything going to plan. Laying it dry was great, it helped make the installation quicker than traditional methods and a lot cleaner. Change in weather and different ground conditions weren’t a problem either. Overall, I’d recommend using Stepoc, especially for anything over a metre or so, it’s just hassle free," concluded Derek.