Targeting environmental excellence

Two Team Van Oord projects in southwest England have been short listed for the prestigious 2006 Environment Agency Project Excellence Awards.

The Project Excellence Awards recognise the contributions of the whole project team - the framework suppliers and the Environment Agency's internal staff. Of the 48 projects put forward, just 12 have made the shortlist for the four award categories.

Team Van Oord is a partnership between May Gurney, Van Oord and Mackley, and the two projects are Greylake Sluice improvement works in Somerset and the Fordingbridge Flood Defence Scheme in Hampshire (see pic above).

The £6.5m Fordingbridge Flood Defence Scheme is short listed for the sustainable construction/environmental enhancement category. The scheme comprises a system of flood defences on the River Avon, Ashford Water and Allen Brook to protect 450 homes.

In this category the judges are looking for schemes that 'demonstrate positive actions to ensure either that the environmental impact of undertaking the work has been minimised, or deliver significant environmental enhancement'.

The £2.95m Greylake Sluice improvement project, near Bridgewater, is short listed for the managing health and safety/environmental risk category. This is judged on 'the application of best practice in relation to the management of either H&S or environmental risks to avoid accidents or environmental incidents'.

Both projects are also eligible at this stage for the Overall Project Excellence Award.

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