Tideway enabling works: The design, planning approval and construction of the new Blackfriars Pier, London

This paper covers the design, planning approval and construction of the new Blackfriars Pier in London, including dredging, sheet piled wall, a new pontoon and associated access structures. The new pier will allow for the construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel which is a major new sewer construction project needed to tackle the problem of sewage overflows into the river Thames from London's Victorian sewers. The Pier provides river transport services for commuters and pleasure craft along the River Thames. As the Pier is in a prominent location in Central London, key project drivers included short construction period, elegant structure and consideration of ship impact. The project was successfully delivered within a government approved Development Consent Order (DCO) which included extensive consultation with the various planning authorities and River Regulators and numerous project constraints including impact on numerous third party assets, environmental and construction restrictions.