ALL MINE...
colliery waste with that of importing topsoil.”
These factors combined to produce a cost saving over imported topsoil of approximately £10 per tonne, with costs for the manufactured topsoil (including spreading and seeding), calculated at £7.22 a tonne. Following the successful completion of the trials, the programme of soil manufacture with compost is being rolled out across the whole site, but it has already seen the application of more than 15,000 tonnes of quality BSI PAS 100 compost. Careful research was key to uncover the benefits of using compost to create a suitable topsoil for the construction of the golf courses. The trials were conducted with
European Turfgrass Laboratories, PGA Design Consulting (PGADC) and leading seed producer, Barenbrug, to establish the optimum mix of compost and shale.
The tests were undertaken in two phases. The first, conducted in the laboratory,
covered aspects such as percolation rate, water retention capacity and nutrient status. Results showed that mixes (by volume) of 70:30 and 75:25 colliery waste and compost provided perfect conditions for optimum growth. Further weathering trials, using freezing and compaction techniques, were conducted by WBB Minerals to assess the stability of the 75:25 blend over time. The second phase, undertaken on site under the auspices of PGA, involved establishing a 2,000m3
trial plot where two different soil blends, using 750m3 of
BSI PAS 100 compost, developed by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), were tested for their ability to support six different golf course grass mixes over a three-month period, ending in September 2006.
Commenting on the success and advantages of the tests, Muirhead says:
“The trials clearly demonstrated that manufacturing topsoil using a mixture of screened colliery shale and compost can not only provide ideal growing conditions for golf course turf but can also significantly reduce the cost of regenerating the land when compared with topsoil import.” “The results showed rapid and uniform establishment of turf grasses without any weed problems, and drainage properties similar to a links course, which would allow the playing of golf even after the severest of rain.” Complementing the innovations running through this aspect of the project are those of the leisure facilities. Ecosse have put forward two concepts for the new clubhouse. The first plans for it to be built into the hillside with a statue of Donald Ross standing in front as a memorial. The second would incorporate the hotel complex and residential developments as one, with apartments
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