ASH were commissioned as environmental consultant for the A74(M) motorway construction between Beattock and Annandale

In 1997, ASH was commissioned by the M6DBFO Joint Venture (a consortium of Amey, Taylor Woodrow, Sir Robert McAlpine and Barr Construction), as environmental consultants on the largest civil engineering project in the UK at that time. The scheme comprised 28 km of motorway construction between Beattock Summit and Annandale Water Service Station.


Key Tasks

Landscape and visual impact assessment

Landscape mitigation design

Environmental monitoring during construction and maintenance

What we did

ASH's primary aim was to assimilate the road corridor into the surrounding landscape and minimise the impact on the environment through the design and specification of the scheme and the Environmental Management System.

The scheme involved the planting of over one million, predominantly Scottish provenance trees. It also involved innovative techniques including soil nailing on 40 degree reinforced slopes and the re-vegetation of Tinny Bank using "soil dribble".

ASH is particularly proud of its contribution to the earthworks which resulted in sympathetic contouring through the relaxation of engineering slopes and the return of land to agriculture. This had the combined benefits of physically reducing the extent of the M74 motorway corridor, merging it with surrounding land uses and reducing long term maintenance requirements.

The scheme was the recipient of two industry awards, which acknowledged the successful integration of this major road into the landscape and the innovative and sustainable use of site materials.

 


Find out more

We’re always happy to answer your questions. If you’d like to find out more about the services we can offer for your project, you can email us on info@ashglasgow.com or call 0141 227 3388.