Fears that a glut of construction activity on London鈥檚 South Bank will lead to gridlock have led to four major schemes establishing a joint strategy on the delivery of materials.

More than 拢700m of work will get under way over the next four years within a one mile radius of Blackfriars Bridge, and several large contractors are to set up a logistics framework.

Mace, Overbury, and two others not yet appointed, will work to ensure the site does not become congested by the four projects.The schemes are:

  • Herzog & de Meuron鈥檚 拢215m Tate Modern extension, to be built by Mace. It includes a 23,400m2 building and a 7,000m2 of urban space. To start next year and complete in 2012.
  • Network Rail鈥檚 拢250m redevelopment of Blackfriars station, with an entrance on the South Bank, is part of the 拢5.5bn Thameslink Programme to tackle overcrowding. Work begins next January and completes in 2011.
  • Allies & Morrison鈥檚 Bankside 1/2/3 complex is to be fitted out by Overbury and developed by Land Securities. To start this month and complete in 2009.
  • Rogers Stirk Harbour鈥檚 Project Bankside, 36,000m2 of residential space in five buildings next to Tate Modern. Remediation is under way and the scheme is due for completion in 2011.

The main stakeholders have set up a collective called the Bankside Logistics Group with representatives from each project team to manage the disruption in the area.

It鈥檚 to behave responsibly where a potential impact could be serious

Chris Watson, G&T

The group will meet to discuss the projects and look at pedestrian and vehicle movement.

Chris Watson, Gardiner & Theobald鈥檚 project manager for the extension to Tate Modern, is chairman of the group. He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 to try to behave responsibly in an area where potential impact could be serious.鈥

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