Capita Symonds’ security team has been appointed by European Land and Development as security consultants for Merchant Square – the final phase of the redevelopment of Paddington Basin in London.
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 more than 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 developers, the design team, local police and security agencies.
The Capita Symonds team is now working 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.
Kevin says: “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.
Kevin and Vit add that they 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.
