Partner Article

Construction firm awarded for work on Dunston Staiths

A North East construction firm has been recognised for its work on a landmark scheme to restore an iconic Tyneside structure.

Owen Pugh scooped the Heritage Award, sponsored by Thirteen Group, in the 2015 Constructing Excellence Awards after undertaking complex restoration work on the Grade II-listed Dunston Staiths, Europe’s largest timber structure and a significant part of the region’s coal mining heritage.

The civil engineering specialist was appointed by the Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust (TWBPT) to carry out land-based work to remove and replace damaged timber, as well as more challenging specialist work involving structural repairs over water. Dunston Staiths has now been re-opened to the public as a major tourist attraction with its adjacent mudflats providing a valuable habitat for wading and migrating birds.

Owen Pugh’s Lee Buchanan, who led a 20-strong project team on the re-development, said: “We are thrilled to be recognised for our achievements at this year’s Constructing Excellence Awards. This was a labour-intensive project that required us to retain as much of the existing structure as possible, while transforming it into a sustainable visitor attraction.

“The restoration has already proved worthwhile, with school children from all over the region using Dunston Staiths as a case study for their STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) projects.”

Owen Pugh won the award after beating off stiff competition from partners on other key regeneration schemes, which include the redevelopment of Newcastle Central Station and the £3m restoration of Hexham Abbey’s medieval monastery complex.

Catriona Lingwood, chief executive of Constructing Excellence in the North East – which ran the awards – said: “Owen Pugh was a worthy winner of this year’s Heritage Award. The project showcased the company’s heritage experience and knowledge of working in a complex and difficult-to-access environment. It was also a real team effort with Owen Pugh demonstrating excellent dialogue with each of the project partners.

“The lessons learned from the scheme can be used to inform other coastal restoration projects around the country.”

The Dunston Staiths scheme was a public-private sector partnership involving Owen Pugh, TWBPT, engineering specialists Blackett-Ord Conservation and HBPW Consulting, construction consultancy RNJ Partnership and timber supply firm MH Southern.

The iconic landmark was constructed in 1890 by the North Eastern Railway Company and used to carry coal onto ships for transport to London and the continent. After closing in 1980 following the demise of the coal industry and subsequently falling victim to two fires, the structure stood derelict for several years, prompting TWBPT to campaign for funding to restore it.

The campaigning paid off, with TWBPT receiving a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of almost £420,000. It reopened to the public earlier this year after the £500,000 restoration project was completed.

To find out more about the Owen Pugh Group visit www.owenpugh.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Narrative Integrated Communications .