Overview

Gilbert Close is the final phase of Dartford council’s new build programme for the construction of homes to replace disused garages and a former council depot in Swanscombe, Kent. The project provides 16 new rental homes to meet local lettings plans as part of the Council’s core sustainable development objectives.

Project Scope

After facing significant delays and increased costs due to archaeological surveys, the Gilbert Close development required a cost-effective, high-performing sub-base for the connecting unadoptable roads that would also mitigate any further delays.

Material Requirements

Ecoblend® CA was selected as the unadoptable road
sub-base, requiring 300 tonnes of Type 1 to be laid on a
Clay formation with capping, finished with a Block Paving
surface. To maintain the schedule, the road construction
was completed during January and February.
To enable this, Ecoblend CA was selected for its:

• Laying performance in adverse conditions
• Superior product quality
• Material cost savings

Environmental & Economic Impact

Sustainability

Over 300 tonnes of
critical natural resources
preserved

Circular Economy

Equivalent to > 110,000
black bin bags of waste
diverted from landfill

Cost-Savings

58% savings in material
cost*

Outcome

The case study demonstrates how a relatively small project of just 300 tonnes can make a significant environmental impact, diverting materials equivalent to 27,000 wheelie bins of waste away from landfill. The fully certified Ecoblend CA Type 1 delivered key material efficiency; an 80% sustainable aggregate reduced the use of quarried aggregate, preserving critical primary resources.

Ecoblend CA optimises laying performance in adverse conditions, with the site commenting on the exceptional nature of its quality and consistency. The Site Manager stated, “The material is as good as, if not better than, primary Type 1”, and added, “I thought the material was
cement bound as it locked together so well and gave such fine finished surface”.