During a 12 month period, works were undertaken to replace Bell Bridge, the historic masonry arch bridge which collapsed following Storm Desmond in December 2015.
The historic Grade II masonry arch bridge dating back to 1772 collapsed after Storm Desmond in December 2015. Story Contracting were awarded the design & build contract, which saw planning work commence in late 2016.
Early work included obtaining the necessary consents which included planning permission, consent to work in the watercourse and diversion of 11kv overhead electric cables.
In looking for the most practical but cost-effective design solution, it was also necessary to consider future resilience. The chosen solution was weathering steel beams and reinforced concrete deck, abutments and parapets which would be clad in masonry recovered from the old bridge. This attempts to maintain the authenticity of the original bridge whilst accommodating modern design standards.
The scope of the project was to design and implement the following works:
The design solution we adopted provided the most practical solution to the site due to access difficulties and working within and above this protected watercourse.
We worked closely with the local Parish Council and farming community to minimise the impact of the construction works. Regular updates were provided to inform and reassure residents. The works were completed on programme in November 2017.
This high profile project was delivered as part of the County Council Infrastructure recovery programme. Story Contracting obtained a very high quality score during the tender which demonstrated our experience in both bridge construction and collaborative working with a wide variety of stakeholders.
Through careful planning and organisation, the necessary approvals were granted and construction works progressed to programme without incident. The end product is of a high quality and has been well received by local residents.
Story’s approach to the re-construction of Bell Bridge was professional and showed that they have the necessary experience to undertake projects of this nature. Through the design and construction stages they worked with the IRP team to provide a quality and value for money solution. They supported the IRP team through stakeholder engagement issues resulting in a successful project that was safely delivered and within expected time, cost and quality measures.
BAE Systems
Story Contracting were contracted by BAE Systems to carry out the project which was a mixture of civils and building works to prepare the site for the new University of Cumbria facility.
Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO)
Story Contracting were contracted by Landmarc to carry out the project to construct a new 1214m2 industrial style training building for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) within the Catterick MOD base.
Holmen Iggesund
In 2021 Story were appointed to assist the design team to produce the most efficient construction sequence to carry out the construction of a new Effluent Treatment Plant at the Iggesund factory in Workington, Cumbria.