Projects
Below are some of the AONB, Heritage Coast and Community projects I have been involved with delivering
01
Heritage Coast improvement Croyde
I carried out the design to enable the removal of the existing overhead network from this area of outstanding natural beauty and putting it underground whilst maintaining a robust local network infrastructure.
02
Woolacombe to Mortehoe
I designed and drove a multi part project requested by the Stakeholder steering group in this prominent section of North Devon that removed overhead electricity networks from the town and surrounding heritage coastline, re-routing and burying them underground. Then, working with Openreach and the local community at Mortehoe, not only got the electricity network undergrounded but combined the works with the Telecoms Provider and their teams to bring fibre and super fast broadband to the local community in a first-of-its-kind joint project.
03
Mortehoe to Borough Cross
I was tasked to look at a replacement underground network to enable the removal of several kilometres of overhead 11kv network across the area, I designed and specified a new HV ring system, negotiated for several new ground mounted substation sites to replace the existing overhead fed system and agreed routes for new cable trenches with landowners. I also ensured that the new design meshed with and supported the previous projects, reinforcing the links back into the existing network to maintain supplies and provide a more robust, future-proofed supply network for the communities it serves.
04
Substation blending
With several of the GRP substation surrounds located in areas of outstanding natural beauty a huge effort was made to blend them with the surrounding landscape. When determining where to construct the substation sites I took into account the electrical restrictions and network requirements for connected load, then, using existing topography and structures, chose sites that minimised their visual impact.
After consultation with the National Trust and local AONB officers I had several of the surrounds coloured dark green by the manufacturer to help blend them with the environment.
Upon completion of the works I took feedback from members of the public and the AONB to gauge the success of the project in enhancing the landscape, from this, and several physical walkthroughs of the routes, I believed we could still improve the aesthetics of the substations.
I sorted through several options to help screen the sites but all were either very expensive, couldn't comply with the local Environmental policies or required imposing additional structures into the landscape. I found and arranged for a specialist company to "Wrap" the structures using high resolution photographic prints of the local stone walling, this cost effective solution proved very successful.
