A58 Blackbrook Bypass

An ECI project for St Helens Borough Council. This was an ECI Option C Contract for Birse CL comprising a bypass running through one of the most environmentally important areas in St Helens. The area includes a local nature reserve, Stanley Bank Meadow, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a semi-natural ancient woodland sitting alongside industrial remnants such as an iron-slitting mill.

The procurement process was central to identifying the right contractor and designer. A quality/price approach to procurement was adopted to ensure this happened. Once Birse and Gifford were appointed they assembled key members of their team including the supply chain. A Partnering ethos was supported by everybody and included strong involvement with a number of regional advisory and stakeholder groups.

Gifford had to demonstrate how 27 planning conditions would be met before the project could proceed to detailed design, the most challenging relating to surface water and drainage in an area already subject to flooding problems.

As part of the design process the Gifford team examined ways to minimise site waste and maximise material reuse by value engineering the vertical alignment of the highway. Material which was not suitable for highway embankments was deposited in landscaped environmental embankments.

Notable Features

The Environment Agency was a key stakeholder involved at the earliest stage of the project. Their concerns about not exacerbating inherent flooding problems were addressed by adopting a Sustainable Urban Drainage System which relieved flooding and created wildlife habitats. This was facilitated by implementation of a number of attenuation ponds which satisfied one of the main planning considerations, forming part of the Stanley Bank Environmental Framework.

The Environment Agency has praised the scheme for its compliance and engagement with stakeholders and the Centre for Construction Innovation has highlighted its leadership in environmental best practice. The scheme also won Builder & Engineer’s “Public Project of the Year”.

Combined sympathetic highway and environmental design culminated in Blackbrook being awarded the Green Civil Engineering Project of the Year award at the first ever Green Construction Awards. Promoted by Construction News, these recognise the huge efforts by some companies in construction and civil engineering to rise to the challenge of sustainability.