Rock & Alluvium, a subsidiary of Van Elle, has achieved a significant technical milestone by reaching depths of 40 metres with continuous flight auger (CFA) piles at the Bow Green development in East London. The project marks the commencement of Phase 2 works for St James, part of the Berkeley Group.

The record-breaking piles form the foundations for four residential blocks, including social housing, as part of the broader Bow Common regeneration project. The development of this former gasworks site is expected to deliver up to 1,764 homes across buildings rising up to 19 storeys, alongside one hectare of landscaped green space.

The piling works were completed over a nine-week programme using multiple rigs operating in tandem. The CFA method was specifically selected for its low-vibration and low-noise properties to minimise the impact on the local community. In total, the team is installing 594 CFA piles with diameters ranging from 400mm to 750mm. At 40m deep, the installation is believed to be among the deepest of its kind in the UK.

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Specialist machinery deployed on-site includes Soilmec SR-45 and Llamada P240 rigs for the primary operations, while a Klemm 709 rig was used to manage areas with restricted access. The site presents complex technical and logistical challenges, situated between Bow Common Lane, Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, and active railway lines.

Malcolm O'Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer at Van Elle, said: "Reaching depths of 40 metres is a significant milestone for the business and demonstrates our technical capability in delivering complex foundation solutions. It also reflects our long-standing relationship with Berkeley Group and our continued role in supporting major regeneration schemes across London."

The successful delivery of these deep foundations in a constrained urban environment underscores the capability of the Rock & Alluvium team to support large-scale regeneration efforts across East London.