Client: Bowey Homes & North Tyneside Council
Location: Shiremoor, North Tyneside
Contract Value: £3.8 million
Contract Period: February 2003 until July 2004
Phase 1 of this design and build project involved major earthworks, ground stabilisation, service diversions and the dueling of an existing single road leading to the new road infrastructure. Related works comprised the construction of 3No. major roundabouts erection of street lighting, footpaths, verge works, signage, barriers and installation of a new pumping station in the grounds of an adjacent school.
Construction of one of the roundabouts and additional access roads were complicated by its location over the line of an existing highway. Works were further complicated by the need to install a new waterproofed culvert under the roundabout. In order to main traffic flows, works were phased to allow construction of the new culvert by open cut method and required significant road traffic management and signaling.
Further works were later added to the scope of works and these included infrastructure packages to new housing sites and enabling works for the new Shiremoor Metro station which involved consultation with Nexus and co-ordination with their Main Contractor for the new station. This took the overall value of the scheme to approximately £5.0 million.
North Tyneside Planners had called for an Ecological Study to be carried out of the proposed construction and surrounding areas. Unfortunately this had been overlooked prior to our involvement and when the study was carried out it identified the presence of water voles in an area of the proposed works. Upon identification of the issue we worked with English Nature to establish an appropriate method to encourage the voles to migrate outside the construction area. The final project solution introduced migratory routes around a balancing pond that was created as part of a sustainable drainage solution for the works.
The works were carried out alongside another major infrastructure project carried out by another contractor and extensive consultation and co-ordination was required to maintain safe access/egress.
Further logistical co-ordination was required to maintain safe access to a local primary school. All deliveries were scheduled to avoid the potentially dangerous morning and afternoon opening and closing times. Our Project Manager was the dedicated liaison officer with the school and he was supported by the Health & Safety Manager informing the school of the dangers of construction works.
