GRAVEL PATHWAY INSTALLATION WITHIN HISTORIC GROUNDS

PROJECT BRIEF:

PROVIDE EASY ACCESS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Our client was Hadnall Parish Council, with Hadnall village having a historic moat locate at its centre with a large open field adjacent to a section of the Shropshire way. The council was determined to provide easy access for all members of the public to view this monument and gain safe passage across the field to the local church and village shop. Part of the pathway passed through the area within the historic moat site, controlled by Historic England which posed several issues regarding excavation given the high probability of ancient artefacts being buried within the grounds.

PRACTICAL SOLUTION:

AVOID DIGGING BY USING CORE TRP GEOCELL PANELS TO PRESERVE HISTORIC GROUNDS

We used CORE TRP Geocell panels to provide a ‘no dig’ solution that would offer protection to the grounds. By creating a three-dimensional confinement system above ground to hold the base material in place, we eliminated the requirement for any excavation. We first removed the surface vegetation and laid a CORE TRP30 membrane, followed by a two-dimensional CORE Bi axial geogrid to provide support for the stone infill within the TRP geocell panel. After pinning the outer edges of the 75mm deep Geocell panel, we filled it with CORE Subflow20, a clean 4-20mm cohesive stone which exhibits enough cohesion when placed within the three-dimensional confinement system to form a high load bearing subbase. We then edged the pathway with CORE Edge 100mm face flexible steel edging and used CORE Commercial gravel stabilisation to provide a firm flat surface.

ADVANTAGES:

“THE PATH MAKES IT FAR EASIER FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY THESE HISTORIC GROUNDS”

The solution we provided formed a natural winding pathway which can be used by both disabled and able-bodied users with ease and perhaps best of all, this system is completely porous so there is no detrimental effect on the ancient field or its natural eco system. By removing the need for excavation, we complied with Historic England’s brief which allowed the council to install a pathway enabling visitors to gain access to this historic site.