ASLA Construction’s Civils team is currently undertaking the installation of bulk and civil services wat one of the Western Cape’s latest luxury lifestyle estate developments. The project is being undertaken for private developer STAYTUS Collection and will see ASLA servicing 75 stands ranging from 701 sqm to 2735 sqm.
The 35-ha estate is located just off the Helshoogte pass between the Simonsberg and Botmaskop mountains. At 390-metres above sea level the terrain features significant slopes and inclines, as well as limited access – due to the geology and its location on a mountain within a nature reserve. “We have to stay within the construction footprint and protect the environment,” says contract manager Francois Siebrits, “and to minimise our footprint, alleviate congestion on site and maintain high production levels, we are carefully planning all access, logistics and the site deliveries.”
ASLA Construction’s scope of work includes:
- Clearing the site (removal of alien vegetation);
- Installation of the sewer mainlines and house connections;
- Installation of the water mainlines and house connections;
- Construction of the stormwater infrastructure;
- Construction of roads and sidewalks; and
- Installation of electrical sleeves.
“Normally when we construct civil infrastructure for residential estates, we would start with the pipework,” says Francois. “One needs a flat platform for this, and as the slopes here are too steep to install pipework, everything will be built inside the road reserve. As a result, we have started with earthworks first.”
Logistical considerations include creating access and turning points for large trucks delivering material (the project will import around 16 000 cubic metres of sand), as well as levelling areas for tipper trucks, to ensure their safe operation on the inclines. “We have created flat sections, to be able to access the areas we need to work on,” explains Siebrits, “and, with the heavy rains experienced during May, June and July we also adapted our working method to be able to start working as soon as possible after the heavy rains.”
The 1-kilometre-long entrance road, Botman Avenue, runs from the gatehouse along the top of the development, with the smaller roads to the residential areas leading off it, like a fish bone. A total 2.3 kilometres of road will be paved, using 750 000 paving bricks, laid by two or three paving teams. The entrance road will have a paved walkway adjacent to the road, and gabion walls will serve as natural landscaped walls with soil stabilisation along the network of roads.
The tight programme has seen ASLA award parts of the scope to trusted subcontractors, who are constructing the attenuation pond and some concrete works, installing the fencing and electrical services, landscaping and building the entrance gate and clubhouse.
“This wet winter – it rained more than 350mm during May and June – is posing a challenge as we want our teams and machines working at capacity – but when the site is wet, safety is the primary concern,” says Francois. “The limited access means that we cannot accelerate or bring in more resources than we already have on the project. Still, we are committed to completing this project for our client safely, on time and within budget.”
