As part of the ongoing regeneration of Maesteg town centre in South Wales, Forest Pennant has supplied Bridgend County Borough Council with 1,700m2 of its Royal Forest Pennant paving, for the revamp of the town’s outdoor market.
Critical to the appointment, Forest Pennant had to supply its natural stone paving in an incredibly tight timeframe, just four weeks from the date of the contract award, beating their standard lead-time by nearly 40%.
So, in a first for the Gloucestershire-based stone firm, managing director, Nick Horton, took the decision to increase production capacity by 50%, running the stoneworks processing equipment 24-hours a day, five days a week. This ensured that the paving was delivered to meet the Council’s deadline, and that there was no compromise on product choice, quality or finish.
Nick commented: “We relish a challenge here at Forest Pennant and the request by Bridgend CBC was no exception. The team really rose to the occasion, working flat out on a rota basis. We have not only proven that we can deliver a high quality product within a limited timeframe but it has also been a very rewarding business experience, testing all facets of our operations including capacity and performance of our equipment, underpinned by the dedication of our employees.”
Pennant sandstone from the Forest of Dean was specified as part of the brief, to match an earlier phase of street regeneration. Forest Pennant won the competitive tender based on its business capability, proven track record and its ability to meet the deadline.
Councillor David Sage, deputy leader for Bridgend County Borough Council, commented: “Maesteg outdoor market is situated within the town centre conservation area and so the completed scheme has to complement the existing architecture and nearby listed buildings, while also working to create a fresh and vibrant feel to the ‘town in the hills’.”
“Being native sandstone, the Royal Forest Pennant paving will provide a natural, tonal surface that will work well within the town centre and allow us to create a much needed public space, enhanced by public artwork and street furniture,” said Cllr David Sage.
Work on the regeneration of Maesteg outdoor market began in early June, with a secondary phase of hard landscaping products due later this year, including tactile paving, steps and bespoke street furniture. The £2.5m Welsh Government funding for the project includes support from the European Regional Development Fund and the Western Valleys Strategic Regeneration Area Fund.
Royal Forest Pennant paving is believed to be the lowest carbon rated natural stone product on the market, and is PAS 2050 certified.