New Islington Sustainable Community Scheme

Works included the following:

• Handling 100,000 tonnes of earthworks.
• Treating 20,000 tonnes of contaminated material on site utilising bio-remediation techniques.
• Construction of several hundred metres of new navigable canals to British Waterways standards.
• Canal fingers separate plots for new housing and create a pleasant outlook for modern urban living with mooring facilities for boats.
• A new water park with public access to a series of five islands linked by timber walkways and extensive areas of reed beds and soft landscaping.
• Provision of an innovative and unusual approach to public highways and the urban landscape. Old Mill Street was constructed using small element paving in a Dutch style with shared space accessible to both traffic and pedestrians.
• Unique street lighting features & extensive street furniture with cast iron markers to create a sense of order.
• Extensive sewer diversions in open cut, headings and pipe-jacking to accommodate the new bridge on Old Mill Street above the canal link.
• 3rd Party Liaison and Stakeholder engagement including the management of extensive utility diversions
• A 310m reinforced concrete retaining wall was built to the boundary with the Retail Park.
• Minor building works were also completed to existing buildings
• Extensive hard and soft landscaping, unusual timber seating imported trees, ornamental shrubs and planters.
• A unique topiary dinosaur feature adjacent to the first new houses and "Touching Stones" in the shape of birds and animals provides interest.

The Management Team at NISC won the Constructing Excellence National Award for Project Leadership and the NW Regional Construction Award for infrastructure in 2007.

Volker Stevin played a key role in delivering environmental and sustainable improvements and new infrastructure.  This was achieved through Early Contractor Involvement, working in partnership with the design team and the local community and employing and training local people.