Townscape Safeguards
Birmingham New Street
Perimeter protection specialist, Townscape
In 2003 the old Birmingham New Street
landscaping has been creatively designed
Products, is helping to safeguard more
was voted the ugliest building in Britain. To
to provide the utmost protection.
than 170,000 daily passengers at the
help discredit that we were determined to
newly refurbished Birmingham New Street
providing perimeter protection which was
station.
aesthetically pleasing and blend in with
Townscape has installed 20 of its bespoke
PAS 68 Counter Terror (CT) Blocks and
three SS PAS 68 planters, designed to stop
the modernisation of the newly designed
station, whilst also providing an open but
secure perimeter.
One of the leading HVM systems on the
market, CT Blocks are manufactured at
Townscape’s Sutton-in-Ashfield factory.
Each weigh in at 2.2 tonnes and are made
using a special mix of aggregates designed
for ultimate strength. The CT Blocks only
vehicle-based attacks, as part of the £750
“We worked to develop and install three
require minimal groundwork due to their
million transformation of Birmingham New
stainless steel SS PAS 68 planters around
low profile foundation, making them cost
Street.
the front of the building and 20 granite
effective to install without compromising
clad PAS 68 CT Blocks around the taxi rank,
security. The blocks are positioned where
which tied into the new look of the station.
a building is vulnerable to vehicular
The CT blocks were topped with granite
incursion and meet the PAS 68 standard
and anti-skater studs, for a high quality,
for vehicle immobilisation.
Townscape was appointed to develop a
tailored perimeter security solution which
would not only protect the building from
hostile vehicle attacks, but also create a
high quality urban landscape at the base
of the transport hub.
Jonathan Goss, managing director of
Townscape said: “The newly renovated
station sees more than 170,000 passengers
in transit a day and will attract thousands
more visitors with the new shopping
complex, so a robust hostile vehicle
anti-vandalism finish.”
Townscape’s integrated HVM range, which
The 100mm low profile foundation
includes blocks, bollards, barriers and
required by CT Blocks made the
planters has been designed to give an
installation easy and with no disruption to
aesthetically pleasing solution, fitting into
underground infrastructure. Townscape
the landscape surroundings.
took its leading HMV product, the CT
Block, and gave it additional purposes as
security seating for this special project.
For more information on Townscape’s
integrated PAS 68 hostile vehicle
mitigation (HVM) range visit:
mitigation (HMV) system was needed to
Visitors to the new station will enjoy a
www.townscapeproducts.co.uk or
defend the busy hub.
public plaza, unaware that the seating and
call: 01623 513355.
40 Landscape & Urban Design Issue 17