Project achievements and benefits
During the construction phase, there was constant monitoring of surface water runoff to ensure no contaminants were filtering into the River Tyne. The concrete washout area was contained at the far end of the site with no direct route to the river.
The roof panels were precast on site which eliminated the need for an expensive, timely transportation process.
Lean awareness training was provided to staff to reduce the wasteful managing of activities and reduce task time but maintain high quality. BAM successfully reduced the time spent on tasks by half over the course of the five GBF.
The project engaged with the community in a variety of ways by supplying a local young adult’s church group with equipment and training to help with their trip to Mexico to build houses for the less fortunate.
The site team supported the Wallsend Historical Society.
An open day at the site was held for both families and local people attending.
Throughout the project, the chosen charity was MIND where approximately £5,000 was raised through a range of activities.
Local suppliers, workforce and apprentices were sourced for the construction of the GBF’s along with “fruity Wednesdays” where free fruit was delivered and available to the whole site from a local grocer.
Project elements
These structures are special because of the different phases in their life cycle. The structure is constructed on land but then “floated” so the design has to accommodate floating stability.
The structure then becomes a submarine as we submerge the GBF onto the seabed in a controlled immersion process. Ballast sand is pumped into the GBF to allow the structure to withstand the loads from the turbines.
Finally, the processes can be reversed at the de-commissioning stage and the structure brought back to land to allow the site to be re-used and materials recycled after a 25-year lifespan.