As part of the overall South Cliff Slope Stabilisation Scheme (SCSS) CAN carried out stabilisation of the slopes above the historic Scarborough Spa building. This compressed installation of soil nails, horizontal drains and a slope facing system. The site was particularly challenging with very difficult access, and due to its publicly sensitive nature the stabilisation works were required to be hidden from view on completion.

The slope facing specification called for soil nails along with erosion matting and tensile steel mesh to be installed over the slope to ensure stability, with geo cell and topsoil then laid over the whole slope and hydra seed applied to promote re-vegetation and restore the slope to its original semi wild state.

Overall CAN installed 4,500 soil nails with length ranging from 4m to 20m, requiring over 67km of drilling, half a million litres of grout were batched on site and used to bond the soil nails, over 3km of drilling was undertaken to install the drains into the slope; and upon installation of the geo cell facing system over 2600 tonnes of topsoil was spread over the steep slopes and hydra seed applied.

The works were completed within the agreed extended programme taking into account changes on site, in line with the agreed increases to budget and with an exemplary level of client satisfaction. The CAN element of the works was shortlisted for a Ground Engineering award. The stabilisation solution was installed in full accordance with the design and the slope quickly revegetated, within a few months it was almost imperceivably that substantial stabilisation works had been carried out.

Duration:   44 weeks

Client:         Balfour Beatty Plc for Scarborough Borough Council

Location:    Scarborough