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Jones Bros begin sub-contract work on £36m sea defence project in Clacton and Holland-on-Sea16th Oct 2014
Coast and marine infrastructure specialist Jones Bros has begun work as a sub-contractor on a challenging sea defence project that will protect one of Britain’s leading resorts.
The Ruthin-based civil engineering contractor has begun a £2.2m contract to construct 23 rock groynes for the Clacton to Holland-on-Sea Coast Protection Scheme.
Jones Bros is operating as a sub-contractor to principle contractor for the works VBA Joint Venture. Tendring District Council is the client and contracting authority, with Essex County Council and the Environment Agency operating as funding partners. Mott MacDonald is the coastal protection scheme’s project manager.
The £36m coastal protection scheme requires approximately 300,000 tonnes of rock to construct the groynes and will protect more than 3,000 properties from sea erosion, with Jones Bros’ work scheduled to last until Autumn 2015.
In order to meet the demands of the challenging scheme, Jones Bros is utlising the latest GPS technology and working around local tidal tables.
Plant used to move rock for the new groynes into place has been upgraded to include Trimble GCS900 Grade Control Systems.
The GPS system, which allows accurate control of buckets and blades to within 20mm, allows Jones Bros’ plant operatives to accurately install the rock groynes in water up to 150cm in depth.
Jones Bros’ regional manager for the southern region Geraint Thomas said: “We have to use GPS enabled machines in order to excavate the rock toe detail and place rock armour to line and level under water.
“We also have a specially made geotextile rig for placing geotextile below and above water on top of the core.
“There are about 15 workers on the project every day, working six hours on and six hours off around the tides – three hours before low tide and three hours after high tide.”
Jones Bros is using three 45 tonne excavators, three 40 tonne articulated dump trucks and three 35 tonne excavators to carry out the work.
The project continues Jones Bros’ expertise in flood and coastal defence work. Jones Bros was awarded a Considerate Constructors National Site Award and the ICE Wales Outstanding Project of the Year Award for its work on the Tywyn Coastal Defence Scheme.
Founded in the 1950s, Jones Bros employs a total of 300 people. It operates across the UK in sectors including construction of waste management facilities, highways and renewable energy projects such as wind farms.