The Peel Car Park Refurbishment Trafford Centre
- Project
- The Peel Car Park
- Structure
- Trafford Centre Manchester
- Client
- CPP Investments
- Contract
- Car Park Refurbishment
The Peel Single Storey car park, is a critical piece of infrastructure serving the Trafford Centre in Manchester which attracts over 30 million visitors annually and is one of the UK’s largest shopping and leisure destinations featuring over 200 stores, restaurants and a large cinema. The car park required a comprehensive structural and aesthetic overhaul. As one of the UK’s premier shopping destinations, the challenge was to deliver a substantial technical refurbishment covering over 20,000sq meters of deck while maintaining use of the facility for visitors.
The project was particularly notable for introducing the Trafford Centre’s first Premium Parking zone, located strategically adjacent to Selfridges the centres first anchor tenant back in 1996. Providing an elevated experience of wider bays and the option to add on a valet parking service while you shop, with your clean car parked beneath a canopy for shelter from the rain.
The car park was suffering from carbonation and salt ingress and necessitated localised interventions to the substructure. The removal of spalled concrete and treatment of reinforced steel was carried out to halt further corrosion followed by concrete repairs to soffits, beams and columns.
The primary objective was to protect the structure from water ingress and chemical erosion. The 48-week programme was divided into three core workstreams; surface protection, structural repair and aesthetic enhancement.
The waterproofing and deck surfacing was for the primary objective of protecting the structure from water ingress and chemical erosion. Surface preparation was carried out to the existing asphalt deck to ensure a high strength mechanical bond ready for the application of Triflex waterproofing system across 20,000 sq metres. Triflex was selected for its rapid curing times and proven track record on over coating asphalt substrate and exceptional durability, allowing the team to reopen completed sections quickly allowing return to the client.
The structural concrete repairs were carried out to the soffits, beams and columns and then cleaning and specialist coatings were carried out. This involved jet washing all surfaces to remove decades of road film and debris followed by anti-carbonation protective coatings to 40,000sq meters of soffits, beams and columns which significantly extends the lifespan of the concrete.
This was Trafford Centre’s first paid for premium parking zone which required a distinct “look and feel” to differentiate it from standard parking. This involved bespoke demarcation with specialised bay markings which are wider than the standard size with colour coded finishes. Enhanced lighting and new coatings created a safe high-end atmosphere with a strategic layout which optimises flow to provide the most convenient access for high-end retail shoppers.
The Trafford Centre was a live environment and remained fully operational with works phased meticulously to minimise the loss of parking spaces during peak retail periods.
The project was delivered on schedule, resulting in a bright modern and structurally sound facility. The Peel Car Park now serves as a blueprint for modern retail parking infrastructure, balancing essential maintenance with new revenue generating assets like the Premium Parking Zone.
