Francis Crick Institute

Lanes completes drainage checks at major new biomedical institute

Drainage engineers at Lanes Group have carried out the final CCTV drainage surveys at the Francis Crick Institute – destined to be one of the world’s most important biomedical research centres.

The Crick, named after Francis Crick, a scientist who, along with James Watson, discovered the structure of DNA, is a new biomedical discovery centre close to St Pancras Station in central London.

Lanes Group was commissioned by Laing O’Rourke, which built the new institute, to carry out pre-handover CCTV drainage surveys of the building’s drainage system.

The survey reports and HD-quality video footage of the drainage pipes were used by Laing O’Rourke to ensure the whole drainage system was clear and in good condition before the building was formally handed over to the institute.

Steven Murrells, Area Development Manager for the Lanes London depot at Rainham in Essex, said: “Pre-handover CCTV drainage surveys are a key element of the building handover process.

“The building’s owners can be assured that the asset they are receiving is in good condition and will work in accordance with the agreed plans. Such due diligence checks also protect the contractor against unfair claims once the building is out of their control.

“Drainage systems are among the first assets to be installed during the construction process, so there are opportunities for them to become damaged or blocked during later construction processes.

“Final handover CCTV drainage surveys represent the last chance for the relevant contractor to identify such problems and rectify them. For large projects, they are carried out as each construction phase is completed.

“If issues are discovered, Lanes Group has a range of services that can be rapidly deployed to rectify them, including sophisticated remote-access ‘no-dig’ unblocking systems and sewer lining.”

The Francis Crick Institute is dedicated to understanding the fundamental biology underlying health and illness.

Its work is helping to understand why disease develops and to translate this into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, strokes, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases.

The Crick brings together 1,250 scientists from many disciplines to help improve people’s lives and keep the UK at the forefront of innovation in medical research, attracting high-value investment and strengthening the economy.

An independent organisation, its founding partners are the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, University College London, Imperial College London, and King’s College London.