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client | The Helix Trust and Falkirk Council “The Helix project is an excellent example of different organisations working together and taking pride in the creation of one of the most exciting social and environmental developments in the UK today. Royal HaskoningDHV has been involved from the outset, and we look forward to working with its team of multiskilled engineers on transforming the area into a world class community resource.” Colin Armstrong, Helix Trust Chief Executive, Realising dreams The Helix is a mammoth £43 million project that Created by Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, the mythical will transform 300 hectares of under-used land ‘Kelpie’ horse heads pay tribute to the role of the heavy into a thriving environmental community. It will horse throughout Scottish history, the country’s canal dramatically improve the lives of local people, enable network, and Falkirk’s own Clydesdale horse, Carnera, the access to waterways using 21st century engineering largest in Britain. ingenuity, connect the communities of Falkirk and Grangemouth and draw thousands of visitors from The Helix project, which has received a £25m grant from near and far. the Big Lottery Fund as part of its Living Landmarks Programme, will progress over three distinct phases, So called because of the distinctive ‘DNA’ shape of the spanning a 10 to 15 year period. development as it spirals between Falkirk and the Forth, the Helix will become a unique outdoor space that includes Using a phased approach, this case study outlines Royal woodland and waterways, a central park complete with HaskoningDHV’s role in the project to date. lagoon, and a network of cycle paths and walkways. The Helix 2006 to 2009 The project will also construct a canal link which connects After winning the initial contract to carry out early Grangemouth and the Firth of Forth into Scotland’s environmental feasibility work to support the Helix extensive canal network. This will involve the installation project in its first stage lottery bid in 2006, four Royal of a full-length canal extension from the existing Forth and HaskoningDHV teams are now involved in turning the Clyde canal down to a new Sea Lock on the River Carron. vision of the Helix into reality. This will see the creation of a new tunnel which will take Commenting on the company’s involvement, environment the canal and its towpath under the M9 and into a specially director for Scotland, Frank Fortune, said: “This is one of constructed lock and basin where the ‘Kelpies’ will be the most exciting initiatives we have ever worked on, as positioned. The Kelpies are two 30m high sculptures in the it involves the complete transformation of an under-used shape of horse’s heads. One of them will move to displace area into a thriving environmental community. the water required to operate the canal lock. Realising dreams “We have been involved in the project from the word roads, flood risk assessments, geotechnical and go, carrying out the early environmental feasibility work environmental engineering, river and canal hydrology needed to support the successful application for Big and environmental impact assessments. Lottery funding through to the current environmental impact assessment and sustainability appraisal work. The “One of the key pieces of work we are engaged in is project received an initial £250,000 development grant in the engineering design for the canal extension which 2006, followed by a further £25 million in November 2007 incorporates a new sea lock linking to the tidal river - the only Scottish proposal so far to receive a Big Lottery Carron, and a lift bridge carrying an existing road over Living Landmark grant.” the new canal. The canal extension will also see the creation of a new culvert which will take the canal and its To assist with the lottery bid and the subsequent design, towpath under the M9 and into a specially constructed the Helix partners contracted Royal HaskoningDHV to turning pool near canal Lock 2, where the Kelpies will be carry out the environmental, engineering, coastal and positioned. This new Kelpie lock will link directly into the river work, and transport planning for the project. existing Carron mooring basin. Both Kelpies will face in a southeasterly direction, showing them off to their best Project Director Mike Ramsay said: “The work we are advantage and making them easier to access on foot. carrying out on behalf of the Helix Trust is extremely The Kelpies alone are expected to attract international stimulating and we are delighted to be involved. Our visitors, which will provide a major boost to the part in the project involves providing engineering local economy. and environmental consultancy across the scheme, involving the delivery of a new canal, lock, bridges, “The Helix is one of the most ambitious and innovative land developments the UK has seen.” Mike continued. “The challenges are something we thrive on. We are responsible for maritime engineering, environment, river, highways, bridges, mechanical and electrical engineering. This fully utilises the vast range of skills Royal HaskoningDHV has at its disposal. “Our Environment division was initially commissioned to provide consultancy and assistance with the first stage application for lottery funding. The bid was successful and the project received £250,000 to progress development plans. We then helped the Helix apply for its second stage bid, which was for £25m of Big Lottery Landmark funding. This was granted in November 2007. “Since then we have been carrying out concept designs for the 1km canal extension to the river Carron, which crosses under the M9 motorway, and we now have the ‘go-ahead’ to prepare designs for the whole section of canal, working together with British Waterways.” Getting people to the Helix – designing access routes to the site Royal HaskoningDHV’s Transport group, is responsible for designing the road networks that will provide access to the site from the A9 roadway, the lift bridge on the A905 and for providing traffic planning advice to the Helix Trust. Principal Engineer, David Blair, said: “We are preparing a transport assessment for the Helix Trust based on the predicted number of tourists the site is expected to attract, and any effect the increased traffic will have on the area. We are focussing in particular on the amount of traffic the Kelpie boatlift is likely to generate during the summer months, when we anticipate traffic will be at its peak. “As the emphasis of the Helix is very much based on sustainability and protecting the environment, the designs we are working on will minimise the use of cars Realising dreams and encourage sustainable transport methods to and from influenced section of the River Carron, the Westquarter the site, such as walking and cycling, coaches and buses. Burn and the Polmont Burn. The Ladysmill Burn is also a potential risk, however, it only affects a small part of the “We are drawing up plans that will include just two car site in the vicinity of Falkirk Sewage Treatment Works. parks. One will enable visitors to leave their vehicles while accessing the Central Park for dog walking and cycling, “The results of our findings will determine the current etc, and the other, a larger car park situated near the canal flood risk and predicted future flood risk within the Helix displacement lock, will accommodate the coaches and site, following the proposed development. Mitigation private cars that will bring tourists and visitors to view measures will be recommended in the FRA for any areas the Kelpie horse heads. This car park will have capacity for within the site that are seen to be at risk to a 0.5 per cent around 175 vehicles.” annual probability flood event (1 in 200 years).” “The bridge will lift at one end to enable boats to pass Other companies involved in the Helix project include: through while vehicles await their turn to cross on either side of the road,” continues David. “We are currently Ironside Farrar – Landscape and planning 00063-cs-mac-en-ipm-0313-gb-v01-cwa finalising 3D simulated images that will demonstrate the bridge in action and how this section of the Helix will be Atkins Bennett – Design of the Kelpie Structures and accessed by people travelling by boat, coach, car and cycle displacement lock – or on foot.” Gleeds – Project management and quantity surveying Protecting the Helix – Flood Risk Assessments In order to confirm that the new development will Craig Francis not be at risk from coastal and fluvial flooding, Royal T: +44 (0) 161 236 1018 HaskoningDHV is carrying out Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) E: [email protected] work as part of the planning application process and in line with Scottish Planning Policy 7 (SPP7). The FRA will involve hydrological analysis and hydraulic modelling along with an assessment of surface water flood risk. The results of the FRA will also feed into the Environmental Statement, which is being prepared for the site. Project manager Stuart Niven is responsible for carrying out the flood risk assessments. He said: “There are three main watercourses that effect the site, namely the tidal royalhaskoningdhv.com.