Spike Island advance works to get underway
Ground investigation works that will pave the way for the construction of the Mersey Gateway Project are due to get underway this month.
As part of the advance works for the new bridge crossing, a further programme of investigating ground conditions within the project area and assessing areas of historic contamination associated with the chemical industry is taking place.
The programme includes investigations at Catalyst Trade Park and on Widnes Warth, including part of Spike Island where it will be necessary to fell an area of woodland later this month for the investigation to take place.
The ground investigation work itself will involve a series of boreholes being formed using a range of mobile drilling rigs. The investigation is expected to commence in October and will continue for a period of approximately six weeks.
Disruption will be kept to a minimum and there are no planned closures of footpaths on Spike Island during the autumn.
Halton Borough Council’s Executive Board Member for the Physical Environment, Cllr Tom McInerney, said:
“We have timed the felling of the woodland and the works to avoid any conflict with bird nesting season which has now ended for 2011, and to ensure that there is no conflict during the next nesting season when potential remediation works would be carried out.
“We’re pleased to say that a similar area of woodland will be planted elsewhere as part of the Mersey Gateway Project.”
Mersey Gateway Nature Conservation Officer, Paul Oldfield, has been involved in planning the investigation works. He said:
“The advance works are an important step in ensuring that there are no environmental problems when the main construction period begins to build the towers, supports and associated infrastructure that will carry the bridge over the estuary.