Balfour Beatty to start steel sheet piling works at North Wales coastal defence project

This post was originally published on this site

The pause started in March and was required to allow for an earth embankment – built at an earlier stage of the scheme – to settle.

Denbighshire County Council said in a statement: “During this break, the ground has been closely monitored using surveys and satellite information.

“Following geotechnical specialist guidance, confirmation has now been given that the area has settled as expected, and stage 3 construction can commence.”

Only major works were stopped during the pause, meanwhile construction continued on a new beach access ramp was at the end of a passage called Central Footpath which runs through a golf course opposite Lyons Robin Hood Holiday Park.

This is scheduled to be completed imminently, to allow for resurfacing of the promenade, according to the council.

Major works to restart by October

The council said construction “is set to restart in late September/early October 2024.”

The first task, it said, would be to continue with “importation of the stone fill to the embankment from the golf course, heading East towards Terfyn Pella.”

This stone will enable the installation of steel piles which it describes as “panels” that are 4-7m in length and will cover a 1,650m stretch of the coast. The council said: “These panels are an integral component of the flood defence and range from 4-7m in length.”

The piles will be pushed through a sand “chimney” which the council said was designed to minimise noise and vibration for the benefit of local residents.

The council said: “A specialist piling excavator attachment called a Movax will be used to push the sheet piles into their final positions.

“Noise and vibration monitors will remain in place throughout the construction to ensure that allowable limits are not exceeded.”

It said the poling operation would start “at the Western end near the Golf Clubhouse and will progress Eastward, finishing near the existing sand dunes. This work will begin in mid-October and is expected to take around 12 weeks.”

Balfour Beatty project manager Chris Hull said: “We’re pleased that our work to protect hundreds of homes and businesses along the Prestatyn coastline will recommence later this month.

“Having given the earth embankment time to settle naturally, we will now progress with the third and final phase of the scheme. During this next stage, we will remain focused on minimising disruption to the local community wherever possible.”

Denbighshire County Council lead member for environment and transport Barry Mellor said: “Work has progressed well on this scheme, and with the area now settled, the work can now continue with confidence, and the next steps can progress further.

“We’d like to thank the public for their patience and cooperation during the construction period of this scheme.”

Like what you’ve read? To receive New Civil Engineer’s daily and weekly newsletters click here.