LAND & WATER CELEBRATES A SUCCESSFUL FIRST HALF OF 2020

It goes without saying that the first six months of 2020 was unlike any other. However, despite the challenges thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic, Land & Water is delighted to have had an exceedingly strong first half of the year. From landmark projects to increased demand for habitat creation services and on-going investment in industry leading plant, Land & Water is on track for a successful year.

From palaces to parks, rivers to lakes and everything in between, demand for Land & Water’s solutions has remained strong. On the Isle of Man an exciting project to remove 32,000m³ of silt from Peel Marina was launched in January 2020, with Land & Water at the helm of this important venture. Joining the project on site in early March, Land & Water’s industry-leading team continues to use its cutting edge equipment, including a floating barge, to oversee these works on behalf of the Isle of Man Government. The project aims to re-establish the efficiency of Peel Marina and futureproof all that it offers for years to come.

At Blenheim, Land & Water is currently undertaking essential works to the Grand Cascade Apron which feeds the lakes from the River Glyme. Land & Water is creating a new resin injection curtain wall, currently the largest resin injection works undertaken in the UK to date. Construction of a new concrete apron and stone faced walls will help minimise any further wash over the length and breadth of the apron walls. These works will ensure that the 300 year old landscape designed by Capability Brown continues to be one of the most iconic in the UK.

At Selly Oak in Birmingham the Land & Water team is delivering a complex footbridge installation at Goodman’s Yard, over the Birmingham and Worcester Canal. The bridge will connect brand new student accommodation and a Sainsbury’s supermarket on the Battery Retail Park, to Bristol Road which runs alongside the Canal. Land & Water prides itself on delivering works that will benefit the local community and this project was no exception.

But perhaps one of the most significant projects for the Land & Water team has been Southmere Lake. It has seen the wider Group work collaboratively to provide cutting-edge plant and specialist operatives, an experienced project delivery team and the ecological expertise of Terraqua Environmental Solutions (TES). This large urban lake is part of an ambitious £45m project to regenerate Thamesmead, creating new homes, offices, shops and restaurants in an area which will be named ‘Southmere Village’. Land & Water has created reed beds and wetlands, providing much needed habitat in the area. In turn, this has helped to encourage wildlife and improve the ecological status of the lake. In order to achieve this the TES team has grown aquatic plants, marginal plants and wildflowers from seeds as well as being on site to oversee the planting and habitat creation.

In addition to these large projects Land & Water has completed numerous other projects, all of which have been approached with the company’s unrivalled commitment to delivering exceptional results. This has included on-going provision of framework projects for the Canal and River Trust, completing works on the Thames navigation in time for the boating season, an extremely complex bridge demolition in Bishopsford and Deptford Creek dredging and pontoon works.

Adrian Gascoyne, Managing Director, Land & Water, comments: “Land & Water entered 2020 with a healthy order book and lots of great opportunities to look forward to with no idea what the world had in store. When the March shut down hit us, all of our teams showed great resilience and adaptability to adopt new working methods in order to keep all of our staff safe whilst continuing to work, where possible within all available guidance.”

“Ironically, ‘social distancing’ has bought our teams closer together and resulted in improvements to both communication internally and with clients. This, alongside delivery improvements, means that we were able to finish the first six months largely unscathed and with lots to look forward to.”

“I am personally very grateful to all our staff who have gone above and beyond in a situation unlike anything I have witnessed in my 30 years plus of this industry, meaning we can continue with growth and success in the coming months and years.”