Landscaping - (09/11)

Starting shortly Torrs Hydro will be working closely with New Mills Town Council to landscape the area around the Torrs Hydro site - the overall aim of this project will be to improve access to the screw and enhance the surrounding area whilst at the same time improving safety with additional fencing.

Torrs Hydro will provide a project report each week here on the blog - if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Torrs Hydro New Mills – Landscaping Project

Project background
The Torrs Hydro New Mills hydro site sited in the Torrs Riverside Park has been operational for nearly two months creating renewable energy that is used by the Coop store in New Mills. The site was developed on the site of Torr Mill which was destroyed by fire in 1912.

The aim of both THNM and New Mills Town Council is to retain, where possible, existing features of Torr Mill, whilst at the same time developing the area around the site for the benefit of New Mills and the increasing number of visitors to New Mills

Project definition
Working closely with New Mills Town Council (Steve Lewis), Torrs Hydro New Mills have agreed to undertake the following schedule of works as a ‘landscaping’ project to meet the advice and guidance and legal obligations communicated by the Health and Safety Executive (Eddie Tarn), High Peak Borough Council Planning (Ann Jordan) and New Mills Town Council.

The project will consist of installation of safety fencing to HSE guidelines, stone walling to help protect one of the original mill walls, stone paving to allow physical access near to the tail race end of the Archimedes screw, scarping and adjusting camber to roadway and landscaping works to improve the area around the site.

This works will enable safe viewing access to the Torrs Hydro New Mills site whilst also improving the area as an amenity to the general public.

Where possible local labour and materials will be sourced, this includes use of existing stones currently sited on the bank of River Sett/Goyt.

Timescales
The landscaping will take place prior to the fencing and tail race mesh being installed.
Dependent on agreement of this schedule of works by New Mills Town Council, any subsequent agreement relating to legal undertakings and funding being available the landscaping can commence on Monday 11 November and is expected to take 5 weeks to complete, dependent on weather conditions. Fencing and the tail race mesh will take two weeks to fabricate and one week to install.
Project is anticipated to be completed by the end of January 2009.

Fencing and safety mesh
(Contractor - LSP, New Mills)
Fabricate ten mild steel fence panels each of 2.5 meters in length,1.4 metres in height, top and bottom cross bars, no central bar. Powder coated in zinc and then painted black to run alongside the pathway being created as part of the landscaping exercise.
Fencing to run from engine house, down the slope to new stone wall, totalling seven panels.
Fencing to also run from top of existing fish pass fencing to far side of intake, totalling three panels, 7.5 metres.
Fabricate supporting steel work and fix mesh cover to the area at the bottom of the screw, 15cm openings and bolted in place. To meet HSE advice on ‘arm reach’ through holes of 850mm. Powder coated in zinc and finished in green to match existing mesh.

Landscaping
(Contractor - Construction Projects, Mellor)
Install picnic bench, in same style as current bench. Bench to be sited close to existing bench and to be marked out by Steve Lewis.
Re site existing stone litter bin near to picnic benches, exact location to be marked out by Steve Lewis.
Using the four original wheel pit stones and rocks currently stored to the side of Torrs access road, re grade the sloped area leading down to the screw to give a rough ‘amphitheatre’ effect - this work is designed to reduce the gradient of the slope and make it more accessible.
Gravel all areas with the exception of the two banks, from the steps, across front of engine house up to margins as defined by Steve Lewis.
Gravel behind current steel fencing above the screw up to existing above ground mill walls.
Roadway into Torrs from Rock Tavern - scrape existing gravel from area below the top drain of the road so the camber is towards the river wall.


Tree surgery
(Contractor – S and S Trees, New Mills)
Tree removal to height of 12ft, of tree at tail race end of screw overlooking the River Sett.

Walling
(Contractor - Construction Projects, Mellor)
Using, where possible, existing local stone currently stored on far bank of River Sett/Goyt, create a stone wall from the existing river wall (in the corner nearest to the stone archway) along to the fourth fence post from the river, wall to be built to railing height and backfilled with sand to protect mill wall. Where required wall will be tied in with existing mill wall.

Paving
(Contractor - Construction Projects, Mellor)
Using, where possible, existing local stone currently stored on far bank of River Sett/Goyt, create a stepped path way running from the engine house to the bottom of the tail race. Pathway to be 4 feet wide.