Fourteen civil engineering projects in the ICE East of England 2010 Merit Awards. The civil engineering ‘Oscars’ recognises excellence in the design and construction of projects that have delighted clients and in many cases brought benefits to the public.
The Awards were presented by the ICE President Professor Paul Jowitt at the East of England annual dinner at Downing College, Cambridge.
There are three categories:
- Physical Achievement
- Technical Excellence/Innovation
- Sustainability
Each category is divided into projects below and above £2.5million. Some projects were entered under more the one category making 17 entries in total, the largest number of entries ever received. A table listing all the Awards appears at the end of this release.
The highest award is Exceptional Merit of which five were awarded – two of them to the Cobbins Brook 
Flood Alleviation Scheme, Waltham Abbey. The £6million project reduces the risk of flooding to 314 properties in Waltham Abbey and the M25. It involved creating the largest storage reservoir to be built in the South of England in the past decade, capable of holding 750,000 m3 of water. The project was awarded Exceptional Merit under the Physical Achievement and Sustainability categories.
Three more Exceptional Merit Awards were made to:
M25 Bell Common Tunnel Refurbishment, Epping - Physical Achievement over £2.5m
This was a major maintenance scheme to replace mechanical and electrical equipment originally installed when the tunnel was constructed in the early 1980's. The refurbishment also widened the carriageway and upgraded the safety equipment in the tunnel to current European Standards. Work also included the removal of a raised walkway to meet disability requirements, improved access for emergency services and increased ventilation. The £90.4million project achieved a million man-hours without any accidents and minimum disruption to the public. The opening ceremony took place on 3 March, eleven weeks earlier than planned.
St Neots Flood Risk Management Scheme - Physical Achievement under £2.5m
The town has been subject to flooding on the left bank most recently in 1998 and 2003. The Scheme blends effortlessly within the surrounding environment and protects 115 properties. It was completed in seven months and came in under the £1.6million budget.
Hazelmere Sea Wall, Holland-on-Sea - Physical Achievement under £2.5m
The sea wall was in poor condition due to low beach levels. A void in an access ramp meant vehicles were banned restricting access for maintenance and to boat and beach hut owners. The wall was degrading further as time passed. The existing groynes were left intact to assist in maintaining the beach sand deposits. Granite rock was used to strengthen the defences creating a natural feature in keeping with the area. Residents and business owners, whose properties would have been affected by further erosion, are now assured of the long-term stability of the sea wall.
The following table lists all the Awards including those mentioned above:
Physical Achievement under £2.5m – 4 x entries
| Award |
Project |
Entrant |
| Exceptional merit |
St Neots Flood Risk Management Scheme, Cambridgeshire |
Client: Environment Agency |
| Designer: Atkins |
| Contractor: Team Van Oord |
| Hazelmere Sea Wall, Holland-on-Sea, Essex |
Client: Tendering District Council |
| Designer: Haydn Evens Consulting |
| Contractor: J Breheny Contractors Ltd |
| Commended |
Veolia Mardyke Bridge, Thurrock |
Client: RSPB, Veolia ES Cleanaway, Mardyke Trust, HCA, Essex County Council and Thurrock District Council |
| Project Manager: Sustrans |
| Designer: Ballantine Associates |
| Contractor: Avon Construction |
|
Hartham Weir, near Hertford
|
Client: Environment Agency |
| Designer: Halcrow |
| Contractor: J Breheny Contractors Ltd |
Physical Achievement over £2.5m – 8 x entries
| Award |
Project |
Entrant |
| Exceptional Merit |
M25 Bell Common Tunnel Refurbishment, Epping |
Client: Highways Agency (agent Mouchel) |
| Designer: Capital Symonds |
| Contractor: Costain |
| Cobbins Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme, Waltham Abbey |
Client: Environment Agency |
| Project Manager: Anser Project Managers |
| Designer: Halcrow |
| Contractor: Jackson Civil Engineering |
| Highly Commended |
Waterbeach Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) Plant, Cambridge |
Client: Donarbon |
| Designer: RPS Group |
| Contractor: BAM Nuttall Ltd |
| Commended |
Lady Julian Foot/Cycle Bridge, Norwich |
Client: Norwich City Council |
| Designer: WSP Consulting/Mott MacDonald |
| Contractor: May Gurney |
| Great Yarmouth Northgate Street, Flood Alleviation Scheme |
Client: Anglian Water Services Ltd |
| Designer: The @one Alliance (Anglian Water Engineering and Balfour Beatty |
| Contractor: Barhale, Biwater, Black & Veatch, Grontmij and Skanska-Aker |
| East Luton Corridor Improvement |
Client: Luton Borough Council |
| Designer: URS Corporation Ltd |
| Contractor: Birse Civil Ltd |
| Arbury Grid, Cambridge |
Client: EDF Energy Networks Ltd |
| Designer: British Power International Ltd |
| Contractor: Carillion Utility Services Ltd |
| Copperaswood Embankment Emergency Works, Near Ramsey, Harwich, Essex |
Client: Network Rail |
| Designer: Hyder Consulting UK Ltd |
| Contractor: Kier Rail |
Technical Excellence/Innovation over £2.5m – 3 x entries
| Award |
Project |
Entrant |
| Highly Commended |
Copperaswood Embankment Emergency Works, Near Ramsey, Harwich, Essex |
Client: Network Rail |
| Designer: Hyder Consulting UK Ltd |
| Contractor: Kier Rail |
| Commended |
Arbury Grid, Cambridge |
Client: EDF Energy Networks Ltd |
| Designer: British Power International Ltd |
| Contractor: Carillion Utility Services Ltd |
| The Hauser Forum, Cambridge |
Client: University of Cambridge |
| Designer: Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Archial and Mott MacDonald |
| Contractor: Wilmott Dixon |
Sustainability over £2.5m – 2 entries
| Award |
Project |
Entrant |
| Exceptional Merit |
Cobbins Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme, Waltham Abbey |
Client: Environment Agency |
| Project Manager: Anser Project Managers |
| Designer: Halcrow |
| Contractor: Jackson Civil Engineering |
| Commended |
NORA Utilities Project, Kings Lynn |
Client: Norfolk County Council, Kings Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council and Morston Assets Ltd |
| Designer: Norfolk Strategic Partnership and WYG |
| Contractor: May Gurney |