“Optioneering Study” – Drake Island Luxury Hotel and Spa
The What & Where
Having settled into my Phase 3 placement at a Plymouth based Building Services Design consultancy, I’ve been given ownership of a very unique project. Guardian Industrial UK (GIUK) as the client have purchased “Drake’s Island” sat in the middle of Plymouth Sound with a view to transforming it into a luxury hotel, spa and visitor centre/museum.
The six-acre plot is around 600m from the Plymouth shoreline and has a long history of being used as a Military defensive base . Originally constructed as a defensive fortification in the 16th century, it was also used extensively in both World wars to protect Plymouth’s Naval fleets. It was then used by the military as an Adventurous Training facility until it was closed down in 1989. Luckily Rob managed to get his Canoeing foundation qual there in 1988 before it closed. He hasn’t been to sea since.
The Vision
I have a meeting with the client next week to try and tie down the scope. His intent at the moment roughly is shown below:
Restrictions
At present the site is derelict and pretty run-down. All buildings are Grade II listed and the island is home to endangered seabirds, fancy sea-weed and other rare aquatic wonders. The client has also stated a desire to make the island self sufficient through the use of renewable energy. Did I mention…
- The EA will not authorise a discharge permit for treated water (or so I’m told)
- Any untreated biological waste must be removed from the island EVERY 24 hours
- No diesel generators allowed at any time
- No outdoors areas are available to place additional infra
- No lift capability to move anything up the 12m rocky bluff perimeter, and no dedicated lay down areas
- The shallows/shoreline is off-limits
Pre-existing services:
Incoming electrical supply: 1 x 11kV submarine cable, laid in 1982, recently tested and ok but liable to deteriorate.
Substation and distribution: None
Incoming gas supply: None
Incoming water supply supply: None
Waste water treatment: None
Waste water disposal/sewers: None
Data/comms: None
The task:
So provide EVERYTHING to a place that effectively has NOTHING. Cool.
I’d imagine over the years that there have been similar challenges presented to RE officers when operating in different corners of the world.
My immediate thoughts are;
- Power
- Utilise the incoming supply with a pair of 11kV:400V “environmentally friendly” silicone/ester/resin filled transformers. This will be needed for all enabling/perm works and lighting from the outset.
- Research into “battery powered buildings” for renewable energy storage, design in low energy options to reduce load profile.
- Consider options for on-site generation such as “wind trees” and “bio-CHP”
- Water source
- Bore hole?
- Desalination plant?
- On-shore supply via pipeline installation?
- Waste water
- Will need to be taken away – heavy logistic burden
- Potential for treatment and recycling?
- Get on-site treatment right and renegotiate with EA for discharge licence?!
So I’d like to put it to the floor… has anyone seen examples, or been part of a team, required to deliver works/services/energy needs in particularly remote places? What advice would you give?
Or just any innovative suggestions to help me out (tech and/or logistics)?!
Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog 
Moff, Mark and I have all been involved in that particular sport, with my own experience ranging from the FI to the FYR and the Middle East. Looking at the issues in front of you, the one that seems to pose the biggest challenge is the disposal of the grey and black water. A luxury development with high end catering is going to produce a lot of fatty, grey water. This means that a bio disc sewage farm will struggle to cope with the imbalance between liquids and solids. I suspect you will need a separate strategy for grey and black water, with the former probably needing to be shipped off the island.
The power stuff is pretty meh; there is also so much wind blowing over Drakes Island, you would probably end up a net exporter if you had to go down this route.
Fresh water will almost certainly have to be brought onto the island, as the surrounding sea will screw any attempts to source it locally, unless you go in for rain water harvesting in a big way. RO is horrifically energy intensive and will give you the problem of disposing of the waste salt bi-product.
A really interesting project though. I hope the Client has deep pockets and they have been suitably pessimistic when preparing the business case. This has all the features of one of those a Grand Designs that end up breaking the owners.
Very interesting project Jambo. Some of your information is incorrect; I completed my canoe foundation there in ’87, very rough sea as I remember. We lost a man to a giant conger eel, that’s why I don’t go to sea anymore.
If grease traps were fitted, you might get away with an RBC for your waste. Although, they do rely on a steady flow, one that does not peak and trough, to operate effectively. Data/comms will have to be good for an up market hotel so you’ll probably want a fibre optic cable laid, and if the 11kV only just past the pressure tests you may want to consider installing a new one alongside the fibre cable.