Project Description
Belton House is a Grade I listed National Trust visitor attraction in the parish of Belton near Grantham in Lincolnshire, built between 1685 and 1687 by Sir John Brownlow, 3rd Baronet. It is surrounded by formal gardens and a series of avenues leading to follies within a larger wooded park.
The Challenge
Following the development of a new public car park installed with ABG’s Sudspave 40 permeable paving system, there was also a requirement to create new footpaths from the car park to access the main house and grounds. The requirement was to provide a structural base for the paths and also root protection to a number of large ancient broadleaf trees adjacent to the walkways. Because the extensive tree roots were very close to the existing soil surface, minimal excavation was allowed.
The Solution
ABG’s geocellular Abweb TRP System was specified and installed. The Abweb system confines the sub-base and provides a structural load distributing platform to minimise soil compaction. It also enables the essential permeation of water, oxygen and nutrients to pass through to the tree roots, ensuring the future health of the magnificent trees.
ABG Abweb TRP
To install the Abweb system, existing turf was carefully removed, timber edging boards installed and a protective layer of ABG Terrex geotextile was placed. Abweb cells were then quickly and easily filled with a free-draining low-fines DTp Type 3 aggregate. The paths were surfaced with a porous gravel and resin surface and shallow topsoil banks were feathered-in along the edges of the paths to meet existing levels.
The ABG Service
To meet the project specification criteria, ABG’s Abweb TRP system conforms to the Arboricultural Association Guidance Note 12 and its seam strength conforms to ISO 13426-1:203 Geotextiles and geotextile related products strength of internal structural junctions.