Detailed ground investigations on the river wall at Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks have saved almost £3million and 3,000t of carbon emissions, earning a spot as a double-finalist in the Ground Engineering Awards 2026. 

The prestigious Ground Engineering Awards recognise ground engineering projects that stand out for their innovation, quality, sustainability, health and safety, and value engineering. This year, Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks is a finalist for two categories: ‘Ground Investigation Project of the Year’ and ‘UK Project with a Geotechnical Value of up to £500K’. 

This comes after detailed ground investigations demonstrated that a 170m river frontage could be reused as part of regeneration plans, avoiding the need for a replacement that would entail high construction and embodied-carbon costs. 

Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks is a brownfield site being regenerated by the Berkeley Group into a residential riverside complex, in which 70% of the land will be open to public access for the first time in 150 years.  

The site’s river wall provides embankment and flood defence protection from the tidal Bow creek river.  

Designed by Beckett Rankine and conducted by AtkinsRéalis, the ground investigation project set out to verify the wall’s condition, assess any defects, validate ground conditions, and outline remedial works that may be required to satisfy conditions placed on the planning permission. 

It involved several methods including geophysical testing, cone penetration testing, borehole with parallel seismic testing, trial pits and wall core sampling, while navigating complex site conditions and restricted access.  

The findings showed the wall is in good condition with only minor repairs needed. The results informed further design to integrate the river wall seamlessly within the wider landscaping, adding a flood defence bund that satisfies Thames Estuary 2100 requirements. 

The Ground Engineering Awards will announce the winners on 17 June 2026 at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel, London.  

Gemma Turner, Associate Director and Geotechnical lead at Beckett Rankine, said,

“It’s fantastic that Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks is a finalist for two categories at the Ground Engineering Awards 2026, recognising the hard work and creativity that has gone into finding a safe, cost-effective and sustainable solution. The project demonstrates the value of collaboration with stakeholders and investment in thorough ground investigations early, leading to an outcome that wins for both the client and the environment.”  

_{Images: Site investigations – borehole rig, concrete core drilling, cone penetrating testing, and magnetometry and parallel seismic tests. Click to enlarge.}

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Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks Regeneration

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