The Prior Park Landscape Garden in Bath has received two awards for a crucial engineering scheme to save an 18th century dam and ponds.
The dams at Prior Park Landscape Garden before work began in 2019 | Photo © National Trust / Rachel Beaumont
The restoration project at the National Trust site, designed by Binnies and constructed by Alun Griffiths Contractors, preserves the historic vista, featuring one of England’s last Palladian Bridges.
At a gala ceremony in Bristol for the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2023 on 10th November, Prior Park was awarded the trophy for the best re-engineered project under £8 million, before also being revealed as the winner of the People’s Choice Award having received the most votes in a free online poll.
The judges said that the project was completed with “absolute consideration” for the history and landscape of the park.
They praised the re-use of the old stones in the dam as part of the new solution, the preservation of the archaeology throughout the site and effective collaboration between partners.
They said the scheme sensitively preserved an important heritage site with clever engineering that is now largely hidden from view to the casual observer.
The dams project, which began in 2019, was needed as the middle dam at the site had been leaking in several places for many years, and this had been exacerbated by burrowing invasive American signal crayfish.
Ten project awards and two individual trophies were presented at the awards in association with Kier BAM, which are held annually to recognise achievement among regional engineers and project teams.
Miranda Housden, ICE South West Regional Director, said: “The ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2023 showcased a strong field of entries, marking a competitive year that underlines the region’s depth of expertise and achievement.
“These amazing projects are taking on some of our most significant regional challenges. And with the talent of our apprentices and graduates, the future for civil engineering in the South West looks very promising. Congratulations to all who participated this year.”
