HBPW’s major role in the regeneration of historic Hayle Harbour in Cornwall has not been without its challenges.
ING and Cornwall County Council started an ambitious project to refurbish the harbor area and provide infrastructure for its development by other partners.
However, as HBPW’s Managing Director, Paul Withers, explained, his engineers needed to think with historical heads!
“Whenever we are called on to work alongside English Heritage we always know there will certain construction headaches because of the nature of the work. Modern construction is very rigid and far less flexible than older methods of building. Consequently when you try to marry the two you are always going to meet problems and Hayle Harbour has been no exception.”
The port was a significant site in the Second World War as a centre for munitions manufacture and fishing. However, has it been in decline for many years, with the port areas largely derelict with many collapsed sections of mass masonry quay walls.
Working on behalf of Carillion, HBPW Consulting Ltd, has designed major construction elements, including the innovative reinstatement of the collapsed quay wall.