UWTSD helping to put road recycling in the spotlight

University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Stenor West join forces to secure Swansea’s future regeneration 

BUILT environment specialists from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) Faculty of Architecture, Computing and Engineering are using their expertise to help a Swansea firm recycle thousands of tonnes of Kingsway road surface for new use in the city’s regeneration.

Family-owned Stenor West are using six trucks to take concrete slabs from the city centre route to their Fforestfach base. Here, the concrete is broken down in to hardcore, some of which may form foundations for the Kingsway’s new pedestrian footways being laid this year as part of Swansea Council’s £12m scheme to make the route significantly more people-friendly.

UWTSD’s Lindsay Richards, head of the School of Architecture, Built and Natural Environments, said: ‘We are collaborating with Stenor on a couple of exciting projects in Swansea. We are delighted to be part of these construction industry-based projects, including the uptake of construction products from waste. This type of innovative practice enriches our learning, teaching and student experience.’

Construction work to transform The Kingsway and its neighbouring streets began in April 2018. Led by main contractors Dawnus, it is hoped by the end of 2019 the area will have new public spaces, landscaped parkland, enhanced cycle provision, a two-way single lane vehicle route and wider pedestrian walkways.

Stenor West are expected to work on the redevelopment for another year, as managing director Steve Norman said: ‘We’re thrilled to be working on a high-profile scheme that will help regenerate our home city. It’s right that The Kingsway’s old surface is reused locally to help make the scheme as environmentally friendly as possible. We have up to ten personnel working on this contract at any one time, including truck drivers and heavy plant operators. 

He continued: ‘We take huge slabs from Dawnus on The Kingsway and Orchard Street; we then operate our mechanical crushers to make material suitable for reuse, with foundations being laid in places such as The Kingsway and Swansea University’s Bay Campus. We’re grateful to our partners in UWTSD who have worked alongside us to ensure that our procedures comply with all the latest recycling guidelines.’