CASE STUDY - NENTHEAD TRIANGLE RECYCLING & RECREATION
UPM Tilhill received a BALI Award for its work regenerating the Cumbrian village of Nenthead.
UPM Tilhill was awarded a contract to renovate and regenerate three sites in Nenthead by Cumbria County Council. Nenthead is a remote Pennine village once central to the region's lead mining industry.UPM Tilhill was tasked to revive the village's fortunes by landscaping three sites across the village:
- a recycling centre;
- children's play area; and
- picnic site.
Nenthead, and the nearby market town of Alston, have traditionally used local materials in their construction. The challenge with these regeneration works was to source local supplies of a stone that matched the colour and tone of existing street features. Also key to the success of this project was developing an understanding of the traditional construction methods used in both dry stone walling and roadway construction using natural stone setts.
All materials used in the project were sourced locally. The natural stone was supplied from a quarry just three miles away. Plants were sourced from a local nursery and even the recycling bins were manufactured by a Cumbrian supplier.
Formerly part of a lead processing plant the main site, the Triangle, presented a challenge as the ground is contaminated, yet needed excavating to road level before works could commence. The project was conditional on inclusion of a barrier between the old site and the new recycling centre facilities.
Excavators dug down, a permeable membrane was laid across the whole site, and reinstatement works began. To create areas for grass and planting the site was surrounded by block stone creating enclosures into which topsoil was imported. Installation of the 4-5 tonne stones was completed with a 20 tonne excavator utilising a hydraulic grab. A total of 350 tonnes of block stone was installed at these sites.
Minor civil engineering works, 42m3 of steel reinforced concrete, were required to create a pad to support vehicles emptying the collection banks at the recycling centre.
UPM Tilhill employed local craftsmen skilled in dry stone wall building and hand finishing the stones to ensure a quality, and complimentary finish to the new works. A total of 110 linear metres of walling was created, or rebuilt as part of the scheme.
In the picnic site and the area surrounding the playground new walls were built, fencing installed and flag stones laid – all complimenting the existing local stonework.
Visitors to the recycling centre can also relax on circular natural stone seat featuring twin monoliths bearing plaques detailing the village's history.
Maintenance on the site will continue for two years.
Freephone 0800 3 282128 for more information on UPM Tilhill's award winning landscape services, or ask a question|.