Site making brownfield regeneration greener

WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme) announce launch of its first trailblazer site using high quality compost to regenerate brownfield land.

WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme) announced the launch of its first trailblazer site using high quality compost to regenerate brownfield land.

The former Lambton Cokeworks, which has been earmarked for the development of 350 new houses, woodland and open space, will use up to 50,000 tonnes of BSI PAS 100:2005 compost.

The Cokeworks site, which extends to some 60 hectares, forms part of the National Coalfields Regeneration Programme, managed by English Partnerships, and is the first project to sign up to WRAP's brownfield trailblazer programme.

The initiative is designed to help developers, designers and contractors realise the financial and environmental benefits of specifying high quality compost in brownfield projects.

Faber Maunsell is the lead consultant on the project and GlenKemp the consultant landscape architect.

The site's history of heavy mining and coke manufacture requires initial soil remediation, which involves improving the quality of the existing topsoil.

The high quality compost will be mixed with existing subsoils to manufacture new topsoils, ideal for growing sustainable woodlands and grassland.

Dr Robin Davies of Soil Environment Services is the soil scientist for the project and explains: "We specified green waste compost for the project as it is the best form of organic matter to manufacture soil with - both physically and nutrient-wise - especially for indigenous woodland, which will make up a large proportion of the project site".

The compost was sourced from local supplier, Premier Waste Management (formerly Durham County Waste Management), with the green waste originating from City of Sunderland's parks and gardens department.

The project, which started in October 2006, is due for completion in Spring 2009.

Pilot projects at other sites conducted in conjunction with WRAP, which look at the benefits of using PAS 100 compost in-situ as a soil improver, have shown significant improvement in both cost efficiencies and the quality of the resulting topsoil.

In some cases, costs have been reduced by over 50 per cent*.

Technical benefits of the manufactured soil include improvements in:.

* nutrient and organic matter content.

* soil structure.

* water retention capacity.

"Previous trials have shown that manufacturing topsoil in-situ, using locally sourced quality PAS 100 compost, not only saves transportation and landfill costs, but also produces high quality, fertile soil for sustainable landscaping," says Richard Swannell, Director of the Organics Programme at WRAP.

"This trailblazer project will determine the benefits of the use of compost on a large scale on a nationally significant site".

The BSI PAS 100:2005 certification means that the compost, which is produced from source segregated green waste such as grass cuttings, prunings and leaves, has been manufactured to a consistent high quality level and is also safe, reliable and sustainable.

For more information on how BSI PAS 100:2005 compost can help reduce the cost of brownfield regeneration projects, contact WRAP on 0800 100 2040 or visit the website.

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