Former Factory Site Redevelopment

Former Factory Site Redevelopment

This project involved the redevelopment of a former factory site to create high-quality residential accommodation within a constrained and previously developed parcel of land. The scheme secured planning permission for a new dwelling on site alongside approval for four additional new-build dwellings, transforming underutilised industrial land into sustainable housing.

Simple-Build was appointed to provide structural engineering design, Building Regulations specifications, and fire engineering strategy, supporting the project from design development through to construction completion in 2025.

Project Overview

The site presented the typical challenges associated with former industrial land, including legacy ground conditions, existing slab and foundation remnants, and spatial constraints. The development required a coordinated engineering approach to ensure structural efficiency, regulatory compliance, and buildability.

The proposed dwellings were designed with modern open-plan internal layouts to maximise natural light and create flexible living spaces — a feature that required careful consideration under Building Regulations, particularly in relation to fire safety and means of escape.

Structural Engineering & Building Regulations Scope

Simple-Build delivered:

• Structural design of new dwelling foundations and superstructure

• Assessment of ground conditions and foundation strategy appropriate for a former factory site

• Design of load-bearing masonry, steel beams, and floor systems

• Structural detailing for lateral stability and progressive collapse resistance

• Comprehensive Building Regulations specifications covering Parts A, B, C, L and related compliance requirements

• Particular attention was given to ensuring the dwellings met structural robustness standards while remaining commercially efficient for construction.

Fire Engineering & Open-Plan Strategy

A key technical aspect of the scheme was the incorporation of open-plan layouts, which required a compliant fire strategy without compromising architectural intent.

Simple-Build developed a fire-engineered approach to address:

• Protected escape routes

• Smoke detection and alarm systems

• Compartmentation strategy

• Travel distance limitations

• Where appropriate, mitigation measures to support open-plan stair arrangements

• The fire strategy ensured full compliance with Approved Document B while preserving the spatial quality of the dwellings.

Site & Technical Challenges

Redeveloping a former industrial site required careful engineering coordination, including:

• Designing foundations suitable for variable or made ground conditions

• Managing structural interfaces between new dwellings and existing ground infrastructure

• Ensuring compliance with thermal and energy performance requirements under Part L

• Coordinating structural and fire safety requirements without overcomplicating construction

• Through early-stage engineering involvement, risks were mitigated before construction commenced, improving cost certainty and buildability.

Outcome

Planning permission successfully secured.

Full Building Regulations approval obtained.

Construction completed in 2025.

Delivery of high-quality, compliant new residential dwellings.

This project reflects Simple-Build’s expertise in small-site redevelopment, integrated structural and fire engineering design, and delivering regulatory-compliant housing schemes from concept through to completion.