Broadmarsh Shopping Centre – IKO Permascreed
Product description
Broadmarsh Shopping Centre opened its doors in the 1970s during a major regeneration of the historic Broadmarsh area of Nottingham. In 2019, redevelopment work began which aimed to give the Centre a new lease of life, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the project stall before being eventually abandoned in 2020.
The incomplete demolition and redevelopment work had exposed the caverns below to water ingress and water was leaking into the shopping centre from above.
NRA Roofing & Flooring Services Ltd was tasked with providing a suitable roofing and waterproofing solution that would help reduce water ingress, manage surface water and provide an appropriate substrate for a tough and durable finish.
However, NRA faced an interesting and unique challenge; the shopping centre sat above an ancient sandstone cave. Nottingham is home to the City of Caves, the UK’s largest network of caves, with 800 hidden beneath its streets. The most famous caves are beneath the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre.
The solution needed to be able to withstand numerous details, substrates and levels, as well as being tough and resilient. NRA chose IKO as their preferred manufacturer partner on this project because of their responsive communication and high quality materials.
Solution and installation
IKO Permascreed was used locally to bring levels up in areas to match the surrounding and help direct water towards outlets. Meanwhile, IKO Permapark was chosen to provide both a waterproofing solution and durable trafficked surface.
There were also a number of details which required a solution that offered the flexibility and compatibility to marry up against dissimilar materials, terminating around intricate semi-permanent support rams. The IKO solutions were able to rise to this challenge.
It was important to ensure that construction did not compromise the integrity of the site, and that the safety of the subterranean visitors was prioritised throughout the project. This was especially critical because, during the project, the entrance to the caves – which was previously accessed by the centre’s upper mall – was relocated.
Despite these complexities, the regeneration was a resounding success. Nottingham City Council was impressed with the IKO system and Heritage England was equally pleased that water had stopped leaking into the caves following installation.
