ENVIRONMENTAL considerations are high on the agenda for Grinaker-LTA on a new project in Cape Town.

The contractor’s R156 million contract to build a new Makro at Montague Park will see it recycling waste materials and keeping a vigilant eye on the nearby Duikersvlei, which was rehabilitated as part of Montague Park’s development, and forms one of the “green spaces” in this eco-friendly commercial and industrial park.

Grinaker-LTA’s Mark Belman notes that the site of the new store is an old fertiliser factory, which was an eyesore and a pollution irritant in the area, so the removal of this will, in itself, be a great change for residents and businesses in the surrounding areas.

“Environmental management is a prerequisite for this project, and we are ensuring that all the stipulations are met,” he says.

One of the actions that Grinaker-LTA will be taking to minimise the impact of this project on the environment is to separate all waste materials and ensure that these are recycled where possible.

Belman says Grinaker-LTA and developer, the Eris Property Group, are committed to protecting and preserving Duikervlei, an ecologically sensitive area that has, since its rehabilitation, attracted an abundance of bird life to the park. Duikersvlei is situated just a few hundred metres from the site of the new store. “Our entire site team understands the value of this area, and we are being exceptionally conscientious about ensuring that no contaminants from the site enter it.”

The new store is a 20 000sq m single storey building with mezzanine offices. It comprises a concrete frame with structural steel columns, roof sheeting and wall cladding with brick infill. Concrete powerfloated surface beds will be constructed, and Grinaker-LTA’s contract includes all electrical and mechanical elements, as well as external works, parking and roadways. A total of 1 936 cubic metres of concrete will be used, together with 133 tons of reinforcing steel, 985 000 bricks, 20 070 sq m of roof sheeting, 8 141 sq m of plaster and 3 100 sq m of cladding.

The project is due for completion in October 2011.

Belman says that the tight programme is one of the challenges his team will be facing, and they will be working closely with the design team to ensure that it is completed on schedule.