Clearance awaiting take off

On Wednesday there was another step forward towards construction, with the clearance of the vegetation and topsoil across the site. We are treating the topsoil as a precious resource, to be preserved and reused in the final landscaping. It can be seen in the pile to the right of the picture above. This also saves truck traffic on and off the site.

Also visible is the safety demarcation to the railway. Any work close to the railway has to be undertaken in close consultation with Network Rail, which publishes a guidance document ‘Requirements for Construction Work On or Near Railway Operational Land by Outside Parties’. We have agreed to keep a 3m cordon sanitaire to the railway boundary fence, marked by the orange hi-vis strip to the left of the photo.

With the removal of footpaths and road surfacing inside the boundary of the future Barden House, clearance will be complete.