The first weekly post to update you on what has happened in Poole Park this week, and what to expect next week.
Monday 14th saw the mobilisation of two works contracts taking place in Poole Park at the same time, meaning the path along the railway line was closed off to public access.
The temporary scaffold structure over the sluice bridge was removed, exposing the concrete deck that needs replacing. This allowed the contractor, Avon Construction, to assess the works, take final measurements and plan for the demolition work that should start from w/c 28th January. The improvements should take about 8 weeks and are timed to coincide with the lagoon being drained down so that a scaffold ‘crash deck’ can be constructed under the bridge to catch any debris. No further works expected until the 28th.
Long lengths of safety fencing also arrived on Monday, along with welfare units and materials compounds for the improvements to the lakes and lagoon. Ebsford Environmental are the contractors undertaking the work and they have already started to dredge the freshwater lakes with specialist amphibious excavators. The dredged material will be used to build up the lake edges which will be planted with marginal plants, or trees and shrubs once they have settled out. These areas are edged with lines of timber posts driven in to the ground and enclosed in a type of membrane called Nicospan, this allows the sediment to drain free of water but is structurally very strong so acts as a revetment and a new lake edge.
The lagoon has steadily been drained down over the last week or so, each low tide in the harbour being used to drain more water out of Poole Park. Thankfully rainfall has been quite low and the contractors have been able to assess the areas for dredging in the lagoon and finalise their work plans. Natural England have agreed the works and stakeholders have been engaged on this process.
Next week will see more dredging of the freshwater lakes, setting out of the lake edge with posts and Nicospan and spreading of the dredged materials on the banks.
- Read more about the sluice bridge here, and the lakes and lagoon works here.
- There is a Guided Walk at 11am Saturday February 9th, Facebook event and more detail to be added soon.