Praise for team who constructed 27-turbine wind farm following awards success26th Sep 2020

A civil engineering project manager has praised the team who delivered a 27-turbine wind farm following its award success at the Construction Excellence in Wales (CEW) Awards.

Rhys Roberts from Ruthin-based Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK worked on the Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm in Denbigh, which was shortlisted in the sustainability and civil project of the year categories.

CEW celebrates success in the Welsh construction sector and seeks to highlight the industry’s role in creating a built environment in Wales that’s fit for the future.

Jones Bros narrowly missed out in both categories at an online ceremony, with speakers including deputy minister for economy and transport, Lee Waters MS.

Work at Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm included the construction of 8km of new access tracks, upgrading 20km of existing tracks, building crane hard standings and installing cabling to connect the turbines to the electricity grid. This included reusing on site materials, sourcing local labour and reducing emissions.

It was appointed by renewable energy developer RWE Renewables in March 2018 to deliver the £20m project, which is capable of generating enough renewable energy for up to 64,000 households annually.

Project manager, Rhys Roberts, said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised for our dedication and commitment to the environment.

“Throughout the project we had a presence in the community and we enjoyed holding site visits for schools and colleges as well as working with local suppliers for materials where possible.”

“We also worked closely with RWE Renewables and Natural Resources Wales to deliver the infrastructure, which included the construction of the turbine bases and access tracks as well as the installation of the cables.

“We always aim to minimise the impact on the environment, and we achieved this at Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm by using two on-site concrete batching plants which prevented a significant number of vehicle journeys and minimised traffic disruption.

“In addition, bespoke specification and construction methods allowed us to make use of more than 500,000 tonnes of site won materials which further reduced our carbon footprint and impact on the local highways network.

“An environmental consultant was also employed and we ensured local wildlife such as goshawks, squirrels and dormouse were protected through surveys and creating new habitats.”

The Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm won a gold at the Considerate Constructers Scheme (CCS) awards this year.

Established in the 1950s, Jones Bros’ leadership team consists of members of the second and third generations of the founding family. It employs close to 500 people.

The company is currently working on contracts in various sectors including highways, flood and marine defence, waste management and renewable energy around the UK.

The company runs an award-winning apprenticeship scheme, which has produced more than 40 per cent of its current workforce, with many of its senior managers having started out as apprentices or in a trainee role.  It has recruited more than 100 apprentices during the past three years.

For more information visit www.jones-bros.com