Hope helping to bolster Lancashire’s storm defences

Dowlow Quarry supplying 18,000 tonnes of armour-stone for new 1.8km long sea wall at Fylde

HOPE Construction Materials are currently supplying 18,000 tonnes of armour-stone to boost coastal defences in Lancashire.

The two-year project, which started at the end of 2014, will see Hope supply several thousand limestone rocks, each weighing between three and nine tonnes, to construct a robust, 1,850m long sea wall near Fylde.

The wall, which will be 18m wide with twenty 40m long groynes, will help diffuse the size and momentum of large incoming waves, reducing the risk of coastal erosion and flooding of communities living along the coastline.

The rocks, which are being supplied from Hope’s Dowlow Quarry, near Buxton, Derbyshire, are being transported to the site by specialist transport operators Jennings Building and Civil Engineering Ltd, with an average of five rocks per journey.

As Jennings are able to weigh the rocks as they load them at the quarry, they are able to precisely select every rock to ensure each truck receives the correct load, thereby maximizing transport efficiency. Upon reaching the Fylde site, the stones are slotted into place by an excavator.

Jennings foreman Mark Rawson said: ‘We are very grateful that Hope Construction Materials at Dowlow have been exceptionally helpful in maintaining blast patterns and keeping us well supplied with rock armour, which is key to the success of the project.’

Daran Murray, manager of Dowlow Quarry, added: ‘This is a significant project for Hope and we are pleased to provide the necessary materials for such an important build, one which will see a large proportion of coastline safeguarded against flooding for many years to come.

‘Being able to weigh the rocks on site has helped us ensure that the correct loads are delivered to the site at the right time, and this has helped us stay on track to meet the project’s stringent deadlines.’