8 July 2008
Capita Symonds’ security team have been appointed by
European Land and Development as security consultants for Merchant
Square - the final phase of the prestigious redevelopment of
Paddington Basin.
Due for completion in 2012, Merchant Square will create six
buildings comprising 1.8m sq ft of retail, restaurant, leisure,
commercial and residential space.
Recent additions to the
Capita Symonds security team - Kevin Shieber and Vit Guidi - have
been working on the project for over three years. Since their move
to Capita Symonds they have been able to secure the next stage of
the security consultancy contract through to Merchant Square’s
completion.
Kevin and Vit drew up the original site-wide security strategy -
which now forms the foundation for all subsequent security design -
in 2005 after consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders
including the developers, the design team, local police and
security agencies.
The Capita Symonds team is now working closely with the design
specialists on each of the six buildings to ensure that this
security strategy is implemented and that all six buildings will
achieve ‘Secured by Design’ accreditation.
As Kevin explains: “Our proven methodology ensures that security
is considered from the outset and that any weaknesses are addressed
at the earliest stages of the design process. As a result, we are
actually able to ‘design out’ crime wherever possible.”
“The end result is an integrated security solution that
addresses the threats in a cost-effective manner and is robust but
unobtrusive in its application. Moreover, this independent approach
to planning also ensures that expenditure on expensive technical
security equipment is limited to an identified requirement rather
than, as may often be the case, a security supplier’s sales
target,“ he adds.
As experienced security managers, Kevin and Vit specialise in
strategic security planning, identification of the threats and
risks at the earliest stages of the design process, and the
development of detailed plans for the management of security on the
completed site.