A case study of blocks installed at the newly refurbished Birmingham New Street station to combat hostile vehicle attacks.
Townscape Products installed 20 of its bespoke PAS 68 Counter Terror (CT) Blocks and three SS PAS 68 planters, as part of the £750m refurbishment of the city centre train hub. Nottinghamshire-based Townscape says that it was appointed to develop tailored perimeter security as hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) and create a quality urban landscape.
Jonathan Goss, managing director of Townscape said: “The newly renovated station sees more than 170,000 passengers in transit a day and will attract thousands more visitors with the new shopping complex, so a robust hostile vehicle mitigation (HMV) system was needed to defend the busy hub. In 2003 the old Birmingham New Street was voted the ugliest building in Britain. To help discredit that we were determined to providing perimeter protection which was aesthetically pleasing and blend in with the modernisation of the newly designed station, whilst also providing an open but secure perimeter.
“We worked to develop and install three stainless steel SS PAS 68 planters around the front of the building and 20 granite clad PAS 68 CT Blocks around the taxi rank, which tied into the new look of the station. The CT blocks were topped with granite and anti-skater studs, for a high quality, anti-vandalism finish.”
The 100mm low profile foundation required by CT Blocks meant no disruption to underground infrastructure. Townscape took its HMV product, the CT Block, and gave it an extra use, as seating. Visitors to the new station will enjoy a public plaza, unaware that the seating and landscaping has been creatively designed to provide protection. CT Blocks are made at Townscape’s Sutton-in-Ashfield factory. Each weigh 2.2 tonnes and are made using a mix of aggregates. The makers say that the blocks only require minimal groundwork due to their low profile foundation. The blocks are positioned where a building is vulnerable to vehicular incursion and meet the PAS 68 standard for vehicle immobilisation.
The HVM range includes blocks, bollards, barriers and planters has been designed to give an aesthetically pleasing solution, fitting into the surroundings. Visit: www.townscapeproducts.co.uk.
