Mackley worked from North to South on the River Ember working on each of the 7 assets. Island Barn Bridge & Walkway, Molember Boat Rollers, Royal Mills Staff Access Bridge & Channel Confluence, Viaduct Bridge, Viaduct Weir Walkway, Imber Court Loop Bridge and Zenith Weir Footbridge.

Depending on the scale of each repair, as well as programme constraints, weather conditions, and tide times, some works were carried out concurrently using smaller satellite compounds, while others required more substantial, stand-alone operations. Environmental considerations for the project included FRAPS and EAP monitoring of water levels.

Works involved the design and build of expansion jointing, structural repairs, painting, resurfacing, waterproofing and repairs to embankments, parapets and concrete structures. Following an embankment slip over the Christmas period, additional embankment and apron repairs were carried out located by Island Barn Bridge, using rock bags. A gauge board was also installed to monitor water levels close to Royal Mills channel confluence. The design was in partnership with Tilt.

Alice Baker, Sub Agent said of the project “Working alongside such a committed and hardworking team was a privilege, and their collaboration was instrumental in bringing this project to a successful conclusion.”

There were initial challenges as Mackley was not the only contractor on site. Through proactive communication with the other site team, they were able to carefully plan and schedule their activities to avoid disrupting their operations. In consultation with the client, Mackley agreed to demobilise when their tasks were complete and return once the other contractor’s works were finished, allowing everyone to progress efficiently.

The client was particularly pleased with how effectively Mackley coordinated with local homeowners and landowners, as well as how well they collaborated with the other contractor on site.

This work was critical to ensuring the safety and longevity of the structures. Carrying out maintenance extended their lifespan, protected the surrounding area from flooding, and repaired damage caused by high water levels and flows.

This has been a challenging project, particularly as careful monitoring identified a section of the wall was at risk of collapse. In the week of Storm Ciaron, the wall did eventually collapse, and we quickly enacted the emergency plan just in time to defend against the storms which caused the highest river levels on the Arun since 2013/14. The teams worked very long hours at short notice and throughout the weekends with such diligence to ensure that all sources of flood risks were managed and the emergency response in place.

Senior Works Manager, Lawrence Rogers said “We just did everything we possibly could to look after Arundel”. The teams were immediately deployed to a number of areas of the town where they were placing sandbags, pumping out flood water and carrying out general maintenance and repairs where damage had been caused. Our flood response training was well and truly put to the test!

We’re very proud of the guys on the ground at Tarrant Wharf who really do deserve the recognition for their tireless and proactive efforts to find workable solutions. Thank you to the Environment Agency for the appreciation they showed to all the teams on site.

“The hard work and commitment that the VolkerStevin and Mackley teams have put into Arundel, especially in recent weeks, is recognised and appreciated. This has really demonstrated what a great, high performing team we have working on the Arundel scheme….. I have nominated each of the Arundel VolkerStevin and Mackley teams for Excellent Behaviours Awards….as a huge thanks and recognition of the hard work by the team working on the scheme.”

Lucy Pizer, Senior Project Manager at the Environment Agency