Blue Water
Blue Water
Blue Water
What Is Bluewater
Bluewater is a regional shopping and leisure destination, which opened for business on 16th
March 1999. It has been developed by Lend Lease, an international property and financial
services organisation based in Sydney, Australia. Bluewater is the largest centre in the UK,
measuring 154,000 sq. metres (1.6m sq. ft.). It attracts around 27 million visitors a year.
The three big department stores are John Lewis, Marks &
Spencer and House of Fraser. The remaining stores are
predominantly clothing and “lifestyle” retailers. There are
parking spaces for 13,000 cars and there are no
supermarkets, hypermarkets or DIY stores.
Bluewater is located in Greenhithe in the Borough of Dartford, in northwest Kent, near the
interchange between the A2 London to Dover road and the M25 orbital motorway. Over 17
million people live within Bluewater’s total catchment with 10 million people living within an
hour’s drive of the site and, for more than half of these people, Bluewater will become their
main “comparison shopping” destination.
With a variety of retail, leisure and catering opportunities, Bluewater offers visitors a
complete day out in a safe, pleasant and high quality environment.
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The Site
Bluewater has been built in a former chalk quarry. The Blue Circle company quarried chalk
here during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, for use in road-building and the manufacture of
cement.
The quarry cliffs are about 50 metres high, the height of eleven double-decker buses on top
of one another. The quarry is roughly 1 kilometre wide, with a circumference of about 3.5
kilometres. The area of the quarry floor is 119 hectares, equivalent to 100 soccer pitches
and about the same size as Regent’s Park in London. Bluewater has over 14 hectares of
retail space and nearly 1.5 hectares for indoor leisure use. The rest of the site is occupied
by parkland, lakes and car parking.
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Where is Bluewater
Bluewater is located in Greenhithe in the Borough of Dartford, in the north west of the
county of Kent, in the south-east region of England. It is about 5 kilometres outside the
boundary of Greater London and 35 kilometres from the centre of London. The nearest
towns are Dartford and Gravesend.
Bluewater is close to the intersection between the A2 (the main road from London to Dover)
and the M25 (the London orbital motorway). It will be about 4 kilometres from the planned
Ebbsfleet station on the new high speed rail link between London and the Channel Tunnel.
Road Access
Bluewater’s developer, Lend Lease, has spent £30 million on improvements to the public
road network around the centre. These improvements enable local roads to cater for the
increased flow of traffic. They also form part of an improved network of roads throughout
north-west Kent, being planned by Kent County Council. This area is called Kent Thames-
side and is designated for regeneration by the government as part of the ‘Thames
Gateway’.
Motorists visiting Bluewater can either approach from the south, from the A2, or from the
north, using the new “STDR” (South Thames Development Route). Fast motorway links
bring almost 10 million people within an hour’s driving time of Bluewater.
There are 13,000 car park spaces. A sophisticated on-site traffic management system
(including “intelligent” signposts) direct drivers to the nearest vacant parking spaces, to
avoid tailbacks at the site entrance. Similar electronic signage forewarns motorists of traffic
problems and alternative routes when approaching and leaving Bluewater.
Public Transport
Local bus services and long -distance coach services enable people to visit Bluewater
without their cars. In the longer-term, a modern tramway is planned for north-west Kent,
which will connect Bluewater with local towns and Ebbsfleet station on the new high-speed
rail link.
A network of footpaths and cycleways, both in and around Bluewater, enable local people to
walk or cycle safely to Bluewater.
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Bluewater has brought thousands of jobs to the local community, both during and after
construction. The majority of these jobs went to local people. Special efforts are being
made to ensure that local people benefit from the opportunities Bluewater will bring to the
region.
The equivalent of approximately 6,500 jobs were created during the construc tion of the
centre (between April 1996 and April 1999).
During construction there was a Job Centre at the entrance site, permanently staffed by
Employment Services staff. Job opportunities were advertised here and also at job centres
throughout Kent and southeast London. Job centres in the region share a database of
available jobs and of people seeking jobs at Bluewater.
When Bluewater opened in March 1999, there were about 7,000 permanent jobs on site.
About 4,000 of these jobs are in retail trades (such as sales staff and store management).
An estimated 40% of these jobs are full time and 60% part time. The remaining 1,800 are in
non-retail occupations (such as cleaning, catering, maintenance, communications, security,
administration, warehouse staff, ground staff). An estimated 53% of these jobs are full time
and 47% part time.
The “Bluewater Foundation” has been set up to ensure that everyone working at Bluewater,
both during and after construction, has the opportunity to undergo training and obtain formal
recognised qualifications. The Foundation is a partnership between developers,
construction managers, contractors, trade unions, local councils, chambers of commerce
and local training providers. Their goal is to improve the skills base of the local economy
and give local people the opportunity to learn while working at Bluewater.
Bluewater also published a local trade directory, “Bluewater Pages”, distributed to all
contractors and sub-contractors working at Bluewater during construction. It is designed to
help local businesses win contracts at Bluewater wherever possible. These business
opportunities generated extra business and jobs for companies based in the community
around Bluewater.
Through these initiatives, Bluewater has helped bring prosperity to the region, by lowering
unemployment, raising skills, and making the area more attractive to live and work.
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Given the volume of traffic that is expected to be attracted to Bluewater it was obviously
necessary to review the existing road system. Improvements or additional roads were
considered necessary in order that any increase in traffic did not have an adverse effect on
the local communities adjacent to the site.
The strategy that evolved focused on the intent that primary access should be established
from the M25 motorway to Bluewater via the A2 trunk road.
This intent indicated that the geometry of the existing interchange for the B255 from the A2
trunk road was of insufficient capacity, as was the B255 itself as this was a single
carriageway road. A scheme was therefore designed to improve both of these elements:
?? The new interchange retained the existing bridge but includes for the construction of
three new slip roads. The current ‘on-slip’ to the Dover bound carriageway of the A2 is
also retained but improvements to the A2 were made, including the construction of a
fourth lane, which facilitates a more free flowing traffic flow.
?? A new dual carriageway was constructed from the A2 interchange to a new roundabout,
called Hedge Place Roundabout, located to the west of the existing Bean Road and
slightly south of Mounts Road.
This duelling has many interesting features in that for part of its length it overlies the existing
Bean Road which is itself perched on a narrow spine of chalk that has been left as a result
of the extensive quarrying operations that have taken place over the past years.
The widening of the spine has required the implementation of a number of specialist
techniques in order to provide an adequate bonding of the new embankment to the old.
This was made more difficult by having to maintain two-way traffic on the old road at all
times so denying the designer the option of cutting into the existing embankment to provide
a keying-in effect for the new extension.
The new road layout also necessitated the construction of two new bridges. The first, taking
the new road over Watling Street and the second allowing the exit roads from the
development to pass beneath the new dual carriageway.
The final part of the new system was the construction to a new single carriageway road to
connect the new Hedge Place roundabout with London Road to the north.
This connection will itself be improved with the future Kent County Council scheme for the
construction of the South Thames Development Route.
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Cluster Groups
Bluewater's guests are grouped into clearly defined lifestyle groups. These groups are created by
clustering groups of people with similar attitudes rather than specific demographic traits. These
people typically have similar attitudes, values and make similar lifestyle choices.
Explorers
Conformists
Discerners
Traditionalists
Explorers
Conformists
?? Influenced by peers
?? Loyal to mainstream brands
?? Will buy more rather than better
?? 17% of Population
?? 19% of available spend
?? 28% of Bluewater Guests are Conformists
?? Suburban, family focused
?? Time poor
Discerners
Traditionalists
Footfall
Bluewater Factors
By speaking to over 22,000 people we were given an insight into positive and negative experiences
that impacted a shopping trip. An innovative and responsive approach has led to positive solutions
being incorporated into Bluewater's design in order to address the negative and further enhance the
positive experience
The buildings themselves are surrounded by 1 million trees and shrubs which have been
landscaped into green areas, which are surrounded by lakes going up to the edges of the
chalk cliffs.
As well as shops and places to eat and relax, there is a cinema, a work place nursery,
supervised play for younger children, places to watch street theatre, a nature trail
and a regular programme of events to watch or participate in
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Shopping at Bluewater
Bluewater’s opening hours (10am – 9pm weekdays) are designed to ensure guests can
enjoy a relaxed shopping experience with plenty of time to enjoy a meal or one of the
leisure opportunities.
Research by Bluewater showed that shoppers want to combine shopping with good food
and entertainment. With the launch of the Water Circus and Showcase cinema on 11 June
1999, guests can shop at their leisure during the day or visit after work in the evenings, as
bars and restaurants at Bluewater stay open until 11pm.
Extensive consumer research resulted in a triangular design to make shopping easier, with
a department store at each corner (John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and House of Fraser)
connected by three distinct shopping malls. Retailers have been grouped together to
appeal to similar type customers, so you can find all you are looking for in one mall. For
example:
- The Guildhall offers the discerning shopper an exclusive selection of classic and high
fashion retail, lifestyle stores and gourmet restaurants and cafés.
- The Rose Gallery has a family focus, with major high street retailers, childrenswear,
toy shops, an adventure play area and family restaurants.
- The Thames Walk recreates the excitement of shopping in the West End, with high
street fashion, cafés, bars and entertainment designed to appeal to young, fashion-
conscious shoppers.
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The villages are places for everyone to enjoy and how Bluewater makes its contribution to
the region. They focus on people of all ages and include landscape, civic elements and
water, leisure, food from around the world and entertainment. They relate to the Centre but
provide a completely new dimension to it. The villages provide an experience – each with a
different theme or bias: -
- Family Village
- Media & Entertainment Village
- Lifestyle Village – Health, Home, Garden and Fine Food
Whether the shopper is a mother, a wife, a husband, a father, a child, young adult, elderley
or less abled, the villages will provide a range of shops, food outlets, restaurants,
entertainment centres and leisure experiences to cater for everybody’s varying needs.
The Water Circus is a media-based, themed retail and catering environment supported by
the Bluewater cinema complex. The village is created around its central theme of
performing water, its uses, light, movement and projection. It includes a large observation
and seating area, which overlooks the water features. The village will provide an
environment that teaches, offers new experiences and is regenerating whilst reflecting the
twenty- first century attitude.
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Some 2.7 million m3 of Thanet sand was brought into Bluewater from the adjacent Eastern
quarry to re-configure the lakes and create the building platform. The Thanet sand was
dynamically compacted to provide a suitable sub -base for roads and car parks.
The buildings are clad with a combination of pre-cast concrete, blockwork and specialist
curtain walling. This work was scheduled to follow on close behind the structure providing
progressively watertight areas for the internal finishes. The cladding of building envelopes
started in March 1997 and took a year to complete.
The first major fit-out of the John Lewis store started in October 1997 and Marks & Spencer
fit-out followed in the spring of 1998. Fitting out of the shop units within the malls started in
July 1998 and was undertaken by the individual retailers working with the Bluewater team of
Retail Delivery Managers.
The period from the middle of 1998 to the opening on 16th March 1999 saw the most
intense period of activity with all areas of the development being brought to a stage of
completion.
Management of the site logistics, particularly the control of deliveries, the removal of waste
and the support for the 6,000-7,000 workforce presented an exciting challenge to the
Bluewater Team.
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1995 – The first step was to decide on the design of the buildings, and how the buildings
would fit inside the quarry. This involved draining some of the lakes and reforming them.
January to May 1996 – Extensive enabling works have to be completed before a building
project can be started, for Bluewater these included: -
- Flattening the floor of the quarry to ensure that the ground is level and stable to build
on.
- Draining the lakes and reforming them. This has been particularly important at
Bluewater, as the quarry is a Class 1 Aquifer – part of the major water source for
Kent. It was important that the water supply was not contaminated by the materials
used to build Bluewater, or by anything used by the finished buildings and site during
everyday operation.
May 1996 – Major construction work started on the building and the infrastructure that
makes up Bluewater and the road improvements that make it easily accessible.
Bluewater is designed so those features of the Kent countryside and Kentish way of life are
present. Its architecture will also harmonise with the surrounding landscape.
This can be seen in the use of building materials for the walls, which are designed to blend
into the chalk cliffs and the roofscape, which borrows its design from the traditional forms of
roofs in Kent – like Oast Houses.
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Lend Lease is an integrated global real estate group which comprises two businesses: Real
Estate Investment Management and Real Estate Solutions. It has operations in Australia,
South East Asia, the UK and other parts of Europe.
Amongst the business sectors in which Lend Lease operates, there is a particular focus on
retail and leisure. The organisation has been involved in this sector since 1965,
representing over 30 years experience.
Bluewater Epigrams
Walls and facias throughout Bluewater are adorned with poetic phrases including
Shakespeare’s Sonnets
ALL AMONG THE ROSES STRAY THE BROWSING SHEEP, IN A SEA OF ROSES LOST
AND HIDDEN DEEP. TANGLED, SPANGLED ROSES, RIOTING AT WILL, HEAPED IN
WARM WHITE GLORY OVER ALL THE HILL.
STARRY THROUGH THE TWILIGHT, WHEN THE SUNSET DIES, GLEAM THE WAN-
SWEET ROSES, ‘NEATH THE FADING SKIES. TWINING, SHING ROSES, FILLING ALL
THE AIR WITH THE RICH DIM INCENSE OF THEIR EVENING PRAYER.
Laurie Lee
1914 – 1997
SLOWLY, SILENTLY NOW THE MOON WALKS THE NIGHT IN HER SILVER SHOON;
THIS WAY, AND THAT, SHE PEERS, AND SEES SILVER FRUIT UPON SILVER TREES;
Walter De La Mare
1873 – 1956
NOT TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION
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THE COUNTRY HABIT HAS ME BY THE HEART. HERE MEET AND MARRY MANY
HARMONIES,
- ALL HARMONIES BEING ULTIMATELY ONE, - SMALL MIRRORING MAJESTIC;
FOR AS EARTH ROLLS ON HER JOURNEY, SO HER LITTLE FIELDS RIPEN OR
SLEEP, AND THE NECESSITIES OF SEASONS MATCH THE PLANTERARY LAW.
NIGHT SANK: LIKE FLAKES OR SILVER FIRE THE STARS IN ONE GREAT SHOWER
CAME DOWN
John Davidson
1857 – 1909
ALL TONES ARE POURED TO PROCLAIM ME ADORED, AS I REACH THE BLUE MID-
HEAVEN, AND THE SWEETEST AND BOLDEST, THE TRULY FREE – THE LARK AND
THE EAGLE COME NEREST TO ME.
Eliza Cook
1818 –1889
UPPER ROTUNDA – WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
THIS CITY NOW DOTH LIKE A GARMENT WEAR THE BEAUTY OF THE MORNING;
SILENT, BARE, SHIPS, TOWERS, DOMES, THEATRES AND TEMPLES LIE OPEN UNTO
THE FIELDS, AND TO THE SKY;
William Wordsworth
1770 – 1850
Abraham Cowley
1618 –1647
Robert Graves
1895 – 1985
THE MOON IS LOVELY, AND THE SEA’S BRIGHT SHADOW ON THE SAND;
THE PHANTOM VESSEL AS IT GLIDES OUT FROM THE PHANTOM LAND.
Walter J Turner
1889 – 1946
Gerald Bullett
1893 – 1958
NOTHING IS LOVLIER THAT WATER LYING STILL, WHEN THE MOON TAKES THAT
STILLNESS FOR HER GLASS.
Gerald Bullett
1893 – 1958
AH! SEAWEED SMELLS FROM SANDY CAVES AND THYME AND MIST IN WHIFFS, IN-
COMING TIDE, ATLANTIC WAVES SLAPPING THE SUNNY CLIFFS, LARK SONG AND
SEA SOUNDS IN THE AIR AND SPLENDOUR, SPLENDOUR EVERYWHERE.
John Betjeman
1906 – 1984
NOT TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION
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THE CLIFF-TOP HAS A CARPET OF LILAC, GOLD AND GREEN: THE BLUE SKY
BOUNDS THE OCEAN, THE WHITE CLOUDS SCUD BETWEEN.
Robert Bridges
1844 – 1930
Sculpture
PHOENIX – JOHN KEATS
John Keats
1795 –1821
NOT TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION
TO ONE WHO HAS BEEN LONG IN CITY PENT, TIS VERY SWEET TO LOOK INTO THE
FAIR AND OPEN FACE OF HEAVEN.
John Keats
1795 – 1821
Rudyard Kipling
MCMVI
1865 – 1936
NOT TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION
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William Shakespeare
1564 – 1616
NOT TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION
FOOD COURT