Clubhouse Construction Blog

December 2011

It is now 6 months since the planning conditions were discharged. We have made significant progress over that period and it is time to take stock. 

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Access

Significant works have been undertaken to improve vehicular access to the site.  In the car park a new access has been created from the coach parking bay.

On the site itself a new access has been cut through the hedge, a gravel access has been constructed from the car park and a level access into the car park has been cut.

Demolitions

Its not sexy but is has been necessary. We have demolished a row of former goat sheds and removed the foundations of both those and of the barn that collapsed about 15 years ago. We have also taken down a variety of fences and animal pens and removed numerous bits of concrete foundation. 

Earthworks

A major contribution to the progress so far has been due to the support of Southern Electric and their suppliers. The area that will be occupied by the canoe store has been lowered to the proposed final level, which is similar to the level of the car park. In the short term this improves access and provides an area for material storage that can be accessed from the car park using a "hiab" lorry.

In addition to support from others the Club has also be active in undertaking earthmoving. In the early stages this was by manual labour, but more recently a minidigger and dumper have been used to trim levels around the perimeter of the site in preparation for the permanent fence.

Fencing

Fences seem to have been a bit of a pre-occupation over the last year.

• In preparation for the main works, the existing timber and wire netting at the east end of the site had been repaired and replaced in the spring.
• The first works on site were erection of temporary fencing, both to protect the ash tree and to prevent unauthorised access.
• More recently the focus of the Club's volunteer efforts have been to prepare for erection of the permanent fence alongside the towpath and around the proposed parking area on the Club's land.

Hedging

This is still work in progress and will be a focus for effort in January. Now have the plants have been delivered to both reinforce the existing hedge along the towpath boundary and to plant a new hedge across the land between the proposed car parking and the conservation area.

Landscaping

There have been four aspects to the landscape work undertaken over the last six months:

1. Preparation - spreading subsoil over the conservation area to reduce it fertility and increase its potential for diversity (on nutrient rich ground all you get ruderal vegetation such as sting nettles)
2. Sowing wildflower meadow - the first patch of the wildflower meadow being creayted at the east end of the site was sown in September
3. Hedging - mixed native species hedging plants have been ordered, delivered and heeled in pending planting out in January
4. Willow coppice - osier willow saplings have been ordered, delivered and heeled in pending planting out in January

Waste

Clearing the land has created a wide variety of waste. Wherever possible the Club has reused or recycled these materials.

Demolition of the former agricultural building created: 

• concrete hardcore, which has been reused on site
• bottles, which were recycled
• manure, which is gradually being taken by members for use in their gardens
• timbers
• corrugated iron sheeting, sold as scrap

• wire netting and barbed wire, sold as scrap
• timbers

Earthworks have created:

• surplus soil
• surplus topsoil, stockpiles on site for landscaping

What are the plans for the next six months? 

1. Erect most of the permanent fence and gates
2. Plant out hedging and willow coppice
3. Hand excavation around the ash tree at the west end of the site
4. Sow the remainder of the wildflower meadow
5. Hand weed the wildflower meadow to remove unwanted species (thistle, nettles etc)