I'm a concrete artist - I've made £54m Preston and South Ribble flood defence works look old
A special ‘concrete artist’ has been brought in for a special job on the £54m River Ribble flood defence works in Preston and South Ribble.
But you’ll probably not even know Aidan Douglas has been at work - and that’s the whole point.
Poulton-based Aidan - who usually works at zoos and leisure attractions including Drayton Manor, the Sandcastle Waterpark and Dino Escape - has been working on the finish to the concrete flood wall along Riverside to help it blend in with the Gas Pipe Bridge and Penwortham Old Bridge. He uses polymer modified mortar to replicate stone and rock. He then uses colouring techniques to age and weather the concrete.
He said: “I was originally contacted a couple of years ago to see if I could colour and age/weather a brick effect concrete RECKLI liner that the Environments Agency use on the flood defence walls as they don't look very authentic. After I paid a visit to the River Ribble site, I suggested that I could actually carve mortar to look like the original stonework of the historic bridge and gas pipe bridge that cross the river.
“As they were not familiar with this kind of work I provided some samples to show them what could be achieved using the techniques I use for my main business which is creating artificial rock and trees for the zoo and leisure industry and applying them to creating artificial stonework. This is a much better match and blends in more effectively than any manufactured products so they hired me to carry out the works.
“I use a special mortar mix that contains polymer and other additives that improve the properties of the concrete. The work I have created will last a long time, impossible to put a number to it but there is evidence of similar techniques used on English heritage sites that still exist that were created over 100 years ago. Hopefully this kind of work will be used on future flood defence schemes countrywide now that the EA have seen what is possible.”
Flood defences
For more than two years The Environment Agency has been working alongside local councils to develop the scheme, which includes new flood defence walls and embankments on the River Ribble around Broadgate and Lower Penwortham. The plan also sees existing defences refreshed and the use of glass panelling to maintain river views.
Work on much of Phase One has been completed, with paths and roads reopened on both the Broadgate and Lower Penwortham side of the river. However, the stretch from Ribble Cottages to the Continental Pub remains closed, and work looks set to continue for a year. The Environment Agency say they have encountered difficulties with ground conditions at depth and the riverbank and this has necessitated a change in the foundation design. This section of Riverside will stay closed until construction of the new flood defences is complete, scheduled to be late 2025. Works at the entrance to Miller Park, underneath the West Coast mainline will recommence in Spring 2025, with plans to do some work in January.