Ivy Living Plant Hoarding, Tideway Tunnel Deptford Site

Biotecture were commissioned by the CVB joint venture who are working on the Deptford Church Street site as part of the large Tideway tunnel project to provide the city of London with a new 25km super sewer to stop the spillage of raw sewage into the river Thames which is great news for the environment, the wildlife who call the river home and the residents of the city.

A 3.6m high hoarding was required around the whole site boundary and in order to help alleviate air pollution from site traffic and improve the outlook from surrounding homes it was decided that a living hoarding would be a great option for this site.

Biotecture installed 113 linear metres of polypropylene troughs set onto timber support rails on the construction site side of the existing hoarding. Pre-grown ivy screening was planted into these troughs and trained over the top of the hoarding, down the front and secured with galvanised clips. This green infrastructure treatment means that the troughs required for the root ball of the plants do not limit pavement space in front of the hoarding.

An automated irrigation system was installed to ensure that the plants always have enough water to thrive. This will also mean that the site team don’t have to worry about plant care. The plants will periodically be trimmed by the Biotecture maintenance team.

When this construction project draws to a close and the hoarding is dismantled there will be options to re-site the Ivy screens to another location or re-use the hoarding on another site.

Particulate matter is a mixture of solids and liquid droplets floating in the air. Particulate matter equal or less than 10 micrometers (PM₁₀) can get into the lungs potentially causing serious health problems. This can be created by chemical reactions in the atmosphere but are often released directly from sources such as traffic fumes. Ivy screens have been shown to trap up to 60% of PM₁₀ particulate matter which is a mixture of solids and liquid droplets floating in the air. Particulate matter equal or less than 10 micrometers (PM₁₀) can get into the lungs potentially causing serious health problems.

As well as Ivy hoardings Biotecture also supply and install fully comprehensive living wall hoardings. To see an example of one of these you can visit the ‘Balfour Beatty Living Green Hoarding, Canary Wharf‘ portfolio page.