MacInnes Bros Ltd were employed as the Principal Contractor on behalf of CNES for coastal defence works in Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula. The works comprised of the construction of armour stone revetment approximately 150m long, adjacent to the B862 through Balivanich where there were various factor to be considered in the day to day running of the contract:-
- Due to the location of the works, tidal conditions had to be considered at all times due to daily fluctuations in water levels.
- Traffic Management played a vital role as access to the only road through Balivanich was to be maintained at all times. This was especially important when transporting materials and plant around Balivanich – effective pre planning was paramount to ensure a minimum of disruption to the local community.
- High winds and wave surges were taken into consideration as we were working so close to the sea and the works took place over the winter months which meant we were often faced with full exposure to high winds and extreme tidal and sea conditions. Weather forecasts were checked on a daily basis.
During the works MacInnes Bros were able to provide employment opportunities for local people: plant operators, HGV drivers, labourers and a site supervisor. In addition to sourcing staff locally, we actively sought to source materials from local suppliers. Aggregate and rock was sourced locally to ensure that the benefit of these orders were channelled to the local community rather than placing the orders with off island suppliers who had offered lower prices.
This contract was carried out under NEC3 Option A conditions and was completed successfully on time and on budget.
