Good afternoon everyone, as the site team head of for a well earned Christmas break, I would like to summarise a year end project update.

The project is broken down into three distinct sections :

Carr Hill Inlet Pipeline 

Some may recall we broke these works, Sandy Lane / Galloping Green Road to Bowes Incline railway line into three phases:

Phases 1&2 have not ran to plan, we were due to complete this section in December, we have encountered difficulties with our pipe supplier, pipes are now on site, these two phases will commence when we return to site on the 2nd January 2024, it will take a few days to implement the works in this area therefore look out for the traffic management that we will have in place.

Phase 3, the trunk mains connection for the new inlet pipe, you may recall was planned for the 3rd January 2024, this would of involved the closure of  Sandy Lane / Galloping Green Road junction, again this has been postponed mainly due to ongoing operational issues further afield within our strategic water network, undertaking the proposed works at this location was deemed too much of risk, therefore these works will be rescheduled on a date to be agreed sometime in 2024, we will ensure that everyone is made aware of this revised date.

On a more positive note, the tunnel beneath the Bowes Incline Railway was completed we will complete the new pipe insertion early in January 2024.

Springwell Reservoir 

You may of noticed if travelling along Mount Lane that the reservoir is starting to take shape, thanks you everyone for your patience and understanding whilst we undertook the bulk excavation, we broke up 60,000 cubic metres of sandstone rock and led it away from site to Springwell Quarry, over a period of eight weeks this equated to at its peak 180 vehicle movements a day to and from site, dust and mud dependant on the weather was and remains a challenge to our site, a combination of mitigation measures, dust suppression, wheel wash and road brushing will remain through the remaining construction period.

Reservoir wall erection to the east and northern aspects of the site as you will have seen are slowly being installed, from the bottom up, the deep reservoir sump and now underground control building and outlet chambers are slowly being constructed, this will eventually be a two storey below ground structure, steel fixing and concrete floors pours  are well underway.

Inlet / outlet pipes to the reservoir are being designed with implementation of these works expected in the spring of 2024, look out for a notification in early 2024 of a road closure to allow these pipes to be laid through Mount Lane.

Springwell - Pikes Hole Pipeline

Works have progressed at pace on this section, land to the south of the compound where the new outlet pipe is to be laid has been fenced off and topsoil is being stripped, as has the land to the east of Springwell road where we have formed a temporary access route, in these areas we have resident archaeology watching briefs being undertaken by Durham University, we are working closely with Tyne & Wear County Archaeologist on the areas of interest and mitigation measures before the pipelaying commences.

Elsewhere along the pipeline route, in early 2024 we will be constructing access routes either side of Pearth Hall Road, look out for notifications of temporary road closures in 2024 whilst we lay the pipe through both Springwell Road and Pearth Hall Road (not at the same time). From Pearth Hall Road, the pipeline will hug land to the Northern edge of the A194 before crossing beneath the A195 finishing in and around Waterloo Road.

In summary, overall we are currently on programme to complete and have the new installations up and running by March 2025, followed by land restoration throughout the site.

Once again thank you everyone for your patience and understanding in 2023 as well as the year ahead whilst we undertake these works.

The site will be closing today returning on the 2nd January 2024, we will have security cameras operating throughout the site over the Christmas break as well as an our of hours emergency site contact telephone number 07970 173587.

Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Many Thanks 

Richard Johnston 

Project Manager 

Hi everyone, here's our latest update. The snow today really brings the winter feel home!

Over the past few months, I've been regularly visiting The Cosy Café at Springwell Community Venue each Thursday. However, I'll be taking a break for the remainder of the year. But don't worry, I'll be back in the New Year, right after the ladies at the Cosy Café have their new kitchen installed!

At Eighton Banks, our pipeline progress hasn't been as quick as we hoped, but we're still on schedule. To maintain momentum, we'll be working extra hours - every Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm until Christmas excluding this Saturday due to the weather conditions.

Important Notice: We'll need to temporarily divert the supply to The Mount. This means some properties might experience a brief interruption in service. If your property is affected, you'll receive a notification card well in advance. We're targeting the week commencing 11th December for this, and any disruption should last no more than 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Over at Springwell Reservoir, the delivery of precast continues, and we're making solid progress erecting the walls. This crucial phase will carry on into the New Year and beyond, steadily bringing the reservoir to life.

Great news about the Springwell Road entrance - started on 6th November and now it's complete! We've started fencing off our work areas and are getting on with topsoil stripping.

Your patience and support are greatly appreciated as we work through these stages. We're doing our best to minimise any inconvenience and keep you updated.

Stay warm and take care!

Sarah

Hi all

Just a quick update to inform you that the road works on Springwell Road have been extended till Wednesday 22nd November. Despite our best efforts, the progress in creating the new entrance has been slower than anticipated due to recent poor weather conditions.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate you patience and understanding during this time. 

Thanks 

Sarah

Hi All,

We've got some updates on our ongoing works, and as always, we're committed to keeping you informed. Here's the latest:

Eighton Banks 

'Georgia', our tunnel boring machine (lovingly named by the kids over at Springwell Village Primary School), has been diligently drilling under the Bowes Railway. While she initially sped through at about 8 metres a day, she's hit some tough rock patches, slowing her down to about 1.5 metres daily. Georgia made her grand entrance at the reception pit yesterday, I have included some pictures below of her arrival.  

Pipe laying work from Bowes Railway heading towards the Wagon Inn has been split into three phases.

Phase 1 Our initial plan was to kick off Phase 1 on the 23rd of October, however there was a few days delay and we started this yesterday.  As we roll out this phase, public rights of way will be diverted for around 16 weeks. To guide you through the changes, we'll put up notices showing the localised footpath diversions. Please do take a moment to familiarise yourself with these. I have also included a copy Here for your information.

Phase 2 Were anticipating starting Phase 2 between the 20th of November and the 1st of December. From this point, our working area will be constantly shifting, starting from where Phases 1 and 2 meet. The working area is expected to cover about 40 meters, in any one time. Towards the end of this phase, there will be restricted access from the rear of Thomas Street onto Golloping Green Road. For a clearer picture of the working area, please refer to this drawing.

Phase 3 As we move into this phase, please note there will be limited access near Thomas Street and Sandy Lane. The main connection for this phase is set to occur at the junction of Sandy Lane and Galloping Green Road, in the New Year. Remember the trial holes from earlier this year? Similarly, we'll have a diversion in place, but this time it'll last around 4 weeks. While this diversion’s up, there won’t be any through traffic. However, we've made provisions for residents and visitors to the Wagon Inn and Mount Centre to access via Thomas Street.

Springwell Reservoir Update

Over at our reservoir site on Mount Lane, if you've had a glance, you'd see the walls are visibly rising. Each one stands 8 meters tall. In the coming weeks, the influx of precast concrete deliveries will continue, making consistent progress in our reservoir construction. Additionally, a heads up for Saturday, the 28th of October: we'll be undertaking some weekend work, laying pipe in the easement area adjacent to Angel Rise at the top of the reservoir site. Our working hours will be between 9am and 1pm.

We’d also like to inform you that while we had previously anticipated a second crane's arrival soon, it's now rescheduled to make its appearance in the New Year.

Adding to our reservoir works, we're launching the second part of the contract. This involves laying a 5.5 km pipeline, connecting Springwell Reservoir to Washington. Though a majority of this project will unfold on private land, we'll require a road crossing on Peareth Hall Road, aiming for minimum disruption. Further details of this road crossing will be added on here once we have this information. You can view our map here, which shows the working areas we’re fencing off between now and Christmas.

Springwell Road Entrance

We're also initiating the creation of a site entrance off Springwell Road, set to start on the 6th of November. This will mean a single lane closure for about two weeks under traffic management. For clarity on this, I've included a map here to show the site entrance and traffic arrangements.

Also a reminder to everyone, that each Thusday between 12 and 1pm I'll be in the Cosy Cafe at Springwell Village Community Venue, if you would like to pop along for a chat.

Thank you for your understanding and patience throughout these developments. If questions arise or if you need more insights, feel free to reach out. We're here to help.

Thanks

Sarah

Hi all,

Here’s a quick update: The muck-shifting wagons finished taking away materials last Friday.

Now, for the upcoming deliveries. Tomorrow and Monday, there’re three morning deliveries each day on articulated lorries, with a 1.5-hour space between each delivery.

Then, next Thursday and Friday are a bit busier, with a total of 12 deliveries spread over both days. These will also be spread out, with approximately 1.5 hours between each, happening in both the mornings and afternoons.

These deliveries are vital for the reservoir work, so your understanding and patience during these times is appreciated.

If you attended the customer information events last week, we hope they were informative and addressed your concerns. For those who have more questions or missed the events, please feel free to reach out.

Once I have more details, I’ll provide further updates on the deliveries scheduled after next week.

Thanks for your continued cooperation and understanding!

Thanks

Hi Neighbours,

Hope you're all doing well. Quick updates for you:

Great news! The wagons taking excavated materials from site will be finished by the end of next week.

You might have seen a big crane in the skyline. It got here on the 19th of September and will help us with the construction of the reservoir. The reservoir is being delivered in precast sections, so the crane will play a vital part at lifting the pieces in place, its going to be like Lego on a huge scale.

We've also moved over to our new compound area on the opposite side of Mount Lane. It's all set up and ready, which is great news.

Over near Bowes Railway, the tunnelling company are progressing with sinking the shafts for the tunnelling under the Bowes Railway. Starting next week there will be a slight increase in vehicle movements taking tools and materials to site, but rest assured all work will be taking place within the fields we have barriered off. The pipe laying activity around the public rights of way near The Mount working up towards the Wagon Inn on Sandy Lane will start mid-October.

We'll also have some special deliveries coming in for the reservoir, like concrete and steel. Some days might be busy, but we'll do our best to keep things smooth and will post further delivery information in advance.

Don't forget: we have two meetings next week. One is on Tuesday 26^th September at The Cosy Cafe, and the other is on Wednesday 27^th September at The Mount, between 5-7pm. Come by if you have questions or just want to chat.

Thanks for your patience. See you soon!

Hi All,

United Living will be undertaking essential work in the area to integrate the new Esh properties into the Northumbrian waters network.

We would like to inform you of the following:

🚗 **Traffic Management**: A 3-way traffic management system will be in place at Springwell Road and Mount Lane Junction starting Monday through Friday next week. It will be manned between 9am and 5pm to ensure smooth traffic flow.

💧 **Water Outage**: Properties affected by a brief water interruption on Tuesday, between 10am and 12:45pm, would have received a door notification this week. If you haven't received a notification, your water supply should remain uninterrupted.

🔔 **Advice**: If you're among the affected properties, consider filling up your kettle and other essential water containers before the outage period.

We appreciate your understanding and patience during this period.

Thanks

Sarah

Hi, Firstly, a thank you for bearing with us and being so understanding throughout our project. 

As mentioned in our last update, the temporary bund has served its purpose, removing the need for any sheet piles. We kicked off its removal yesterday and anticipate the whole process will take about four weeks.

Materials from the bund are heading to Thompson’s for recycling at their quarry. A portion of these recycled materials will be making a return to our site to help structure the bunds on the reservoir sides. For clarity on the reservoir, the top level of the bund indicates the eventual level of the reservoir. 

Good news for Mount Lane regulars: the traffic management setup there is being removed today. Additionally, our cabins for the main compound are scheduled for delivery on the 6th of September. Also, looking ahead to the week of 12th September, we're expecting the arrival of the first of two large cranes - just a little heads up.

Remember, every Thursday, between 11:30 am and 1 pm, one of our team members will be at the community centre. Got questions or simply fancy a chat about the ongoing works? Do drop in!

Your patience and understanding are so appreciated. 

Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend!

Hi, we're thrilled to share the latest update from Springwell. You've probably noticed that the noise and dust bund alongside Broom Court is finished, and it's getting greener by the day!

Over at the main reservoir, our 70-ton dozer has been doing a great job carving the hillside. We've broken up a lot of rock, but we're hitting some hard spots now. We might occasionally use a hydraulic breaker to get through to the next level.

Our wagons have started moving rock to Thompsons quarry and back for reservoir construction. Just to remind you, there may be in excess of 100 wagon movements daily, during the heavy excavation phase. But don't worry, this won't affect the village.

The temporary bund in the southern part of the reservoir field has served its purpose, and we're now preparing to relocate it to make space for the crane. Specific dates are still pending but will be September time.

We kicked off building five temporary access points on Monday, 17th July, and it's all going smoothly. You'll see some traffic measures on Mount Lane for the next couple of weeks. Plus, look out for our site cabins arriving mid-September. We’ll be working Saturday, tarmacking the track at the site entrance on Mount Lane.

Over on the Eighton Banks side of the project, the tunnelling work starts on the 21st of August, so you'll notice more activity around then. We'll be putting up signs on the footpaths and vehicle marshals managing the plant crossings.

We involved year 5 students from Springwell Village Primary School in naming the drill piece, a tradition that usually honours a female name. After much excitement and suggestions like 'Sarah' and 'Monty,' they researched and decided on 'Georgia' after George Stephenson, who designed parts of Bowes Railway.

I'll be available for discussions on the following Thursday lunch times, 11:30 am to 1 pm at Springwell Village Community Hall Café. Please pop along if you have any questions. If you cant make those times let me know and we can look at arranging another date and time.

17th August 2023

24th August 2023

31st August 2023

I have included some updated pictures.

Your support means a lot to us as we move forward on this project. If you've got any questions or concerns, please, just give us a shout.

Thank you and take care!

Good afternoon everyone, it's time for another update!

We're making excellent progress at Broom Court, where work on the noise and dust bund is nearing completion. Only a small amount of topsoil remains to be added, after which we'll conclude with the grass seeding. The top section of the bund, seeded last week, is already sprouting new grass. Now that we've completed the heavy machinery movements, we've successfully removed the ramps from Mount Park Lane.

At the main reservoir site, our 70-ton dozer is carving into the hillside with determination. This powerful machine is breaking up the rock in a truly remarkable display (Video included below). Moreover, we've erected a temporary bund on the southern part of the site to compress and stabilise the ground. We're closely monitoring this and will dismantle the bund as soon as any shifting ceases.

Wagon movements will be starting next week, whilst we transport the rock from site to Thompsons quarry for processing. This material will be imported back later for reused in the construction of the reservoir. There may be up to 100 wagon movements each day for the next 12 weeks. That’s approx. a wagon every 6 minutes. All wagons will be directed rightt on to Springwell Road then onto the A194M, these wont be going through the village.

Starting Monday, 17th July, we'll start the construction of five temporary access points between the site and the land for the site compound. We'll begin by creating access to the field opposite our current site entrance, a process that should take about a week and will include some additional hedge removal. Afterwards, we'll bring a dozer in to strip the soil and then start running stone in. Please be aware that traffic management measures will be in place on Mount Lane throughout this phase of work, which may last up to 8 weeks, and will be removed wherever possible. Once the stone is in, we expect to set up the cabins by mid-August.

Our investigation work at Eighton Banks is progressing well. Today we have reinstated the road on the junction outside the Wagon Inn.

We have more investigations to conduct, which will extend down Galloping Green Lane towards The Mount Community Centre. A partial closure on the lane next to the car park is in place. However, you'll still be able to access the car park via Rockcliffe Way and Galloping Green Lane. We greatly appreciate your patience during this portion of the work.

I'll be available for discussions on the following Thursday mornings, from 10 am to 1 pm, Springwell Village Community Hall Café. Please pop along if you have any questions. If you cant make those times let me know and we can look at arranging another date and time.

20^th July 2023

10^th August 2023

17^th August 2023

24^th August 2023

31^st August 2023

We would like to thank you all for your understanding and support. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to comment below and one of the team will contact you.

Sarah