Consulting Structural and Civil Engineers
Royal
Victoria Place Shopping Centre
Tunbridge Wells
Client: MEPC Developments Ltd.
Architect: Chapman Taylor Prs.
The predominantly steel framed buildings provide 1,000,000 sq. ft. gross floor area and over 300,000 sq. ft. of covered shopping.
There is a food court, restaurants, a management centre, an outdoor market, 30,000 sq. ft. of leisure space including a community hall, a church and a crèche.
A number of old buildings were refurbished and a listed building and a listed facade were retained and incorporated into the scheme. Two precast concrete multi-storey car parks were built - one as a preliminary contract on an adjacent site for 450 car, and one integral with the shopping centre for 1,200 cars.
The new buildings are in the centre of the town and are integrated with and extended existing stores for, amongst others, Marks & Spencer, BHS, Woolworth’s and Boots. All of the existing shops were kept trading throughout the construction.
The sloping site over the British Rail tunnel on the London to Hastings main line was utilised to provide two levels of gently sloping mall each commencing at a ground level.
