Hope rocks to bolster Lancashire’s storm defences

Hope Construction Materials, the UK’s leading independent supplier of cement and concrete, is supplying 18,000 tonnes of limestone to boost the coastal defences in Lancashire.

The two year project, which started at the end of 2014, will see Hope supply thousands of limestone rocks - known as armour stone - each weighing between three and nine tonnes, to construct the giant 1850 metre long sea wall near Fylde.

The wall, which is 18 metres wide consisting of 20, 40-metre long groins, will break up large incoming waves, diffusing their size and momentum, and reducing the risk of coastal erosion and flooding of communities living along the coastline.

The rocks are being supplied from Hope’s Dowlow Quarry near Buxton in Derbyshire. They are transported to the site by specialist transport operator Jennings Building and Civil Engineering, with an average of five rocks per journey.

Dowlow Quarry produces around two million tonnes of stone per year, including armour stone, coarse and fine aggregates to ‘single-size’ aggregates and industrial limestone used in a variety of manufacturing processes.

As Jennings are able to weigh the rocks as they load them at Hope’s quarry they can select every rock to ensure each truck receives the correct load, and the efficiency of the transport is maximised.

Upon reaching the Fylde site the stones are then slotted into place by an excavator to construct a robust sea wall.

Mark Rawson, Foreman at Jennings, said: “We are very grateful that Hope Construction Materials at Dowlow have been exceptionally helpful in maintaining blast patterns and keeping us well supplied with rock armour, which is key to the success of the project.”

Daran Murray, Dowlow Quarry Manager at Hope Construction Materials, said: “This is a significant aggregates project for Hope and we are pleased to provide the necessary materials for such an important build, one which will see a large proportion of coastline safeguarded against flooding for many years to come.

“Being able to weigh the rocks on site has helped us ensure that the correct loads are delivered to the site at the right time and this has helped us stay on track to meet the project’s stringent deadlines.”