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| The hills of the future | The hills of the future |
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| By Chris Summers BBC News NORTHALA FIELDS The cost of the project was £5mConstruction firms were charged up to £90 per lorryload to dump spoil, making the project self-financingAround 60,000 lorryloads were dumped - a total of a million tonnesThe four hills are part of a 45 acre (18.5 hectare) park See what the site looks like | By Chris Summers BBC News NORTHALA FIELDS The cost of the project was £5mConstruction firms were charged up to £90 per lorryload to dump spoil, making the project self-financingAround 60,000 lorryloads were dumped - a total of a million tonnesThe four hills are part of a 45 acre (18.5 hectare) park See what the site looks like |
| Major construction projects produce hundreds of tons of rubble and spoil, but is there an environmentally-friendly alternative to landfill? Four hills which have sprung up on the outskirts of London provide the answer. | |
| At any one time there are dozens of large construction projects under way in a city the size of London. | At any one time there are dozens of large construction projects under way in a city the size of London. |
| Each one generates vast amounts of clay, topsoil and rubble which has to be dug out to enable the builders to put in the foundations of the new edifice. | Each one generates vast amounts of clay, topsoil and rubble which has to be dug out to enable the builders to put in the foundations of the new edifice. |
| So what happens to it all? | So what happens to it all? |
| For years large quantities of it ended up simply being dumped in landfill sites. | For years large quantities of it ended up simply being dumped in landfill sites. |
| But now, in a more environmentally-conscious age, imaginative solutions are being provided and one of the most innovative has taken shape beside the A40, the main road leading from London out towards Oxford and Birmingham. | But now, in a more environmentally-conscious age, imaginative solutions are being provided and one of the most innovative has taken shape beside the A40, the main road leading from London out towards Oxford and Birmingham. |
| Eight years ago Ealing Council wanted to redevelop a 45 acre (18.5 hectare) area of derelict parkland in Northolt, which had become an eyesore. | Eight years ago Ealing Council wanted to redevelop a 45 acre (18.5 hectare) area of derelict parkland in Northolt, which had become an eyesore. |
| They recruited a firm of consultants, led by landscape architect Peter Fink, who came up with a solution which included the creation of four man-made hills on the south side of the carriageway. It would become part of a park called Northala Fields. Over Easter a church group erected a cross on the top of one of the hills | They recruited a firm of consultants, led by landscape architect Peter Fink, who came up with a solution which included the creation of four man-made hills on the south side of the carriageway. It would become part of a park called Northala Fields. Over Easter a church group erected a cross on the top of one of the hills |
| Mr Fink realised that a number of huge civil engineering projects were about to get under way in west London, including the redevelopment of Wembley stadium and a giant shopping centre at White City, and knew the builders would need to get rid of large amounts of what is known in the trade as spoil or "muck away". | Mr Fink realised that a number of huge civil engineering projects were about to get under way in west London, including the redevelopment of Wembley stadium and a giant shopping centre at White City, and knew the builders would need to get rid of large amounts of what is known in the trade as spoil or "muck away". |
| "We offered to take all this spoil at our site, charging between £70 and £90 per lorryload, which meant the developers only had to haul it 10 miles rather than 100 miles to a landfill site," says Mr Fink. This process reduced the overall "carbon footprint" of sites such as Wembley and White City. | "We offered to take all this spoil at our site, charging between £70 and £90 per lorryload, which meant the developers only had to haul it 10 miles rather than 100 miles to a landfill site," says Mr Fink. This process reduced the overall "carbon footprint" of sites such as Wembley and White City. |
| Around 60,000 lorryloads of spoil and concrete was dumped on the site, which generated so much money the council actually made a profit out of Northala Fields. The spoil was used to create the four hills while the concrete was crushed and used in gabions - walls surrounded by steel cages, which provide a spiral path up the tallest hill. | Around 60,000 lorryloads of spoil and concrete was dumped on the site, which generated so much money the council actually made a profit out of Northala Fields. The spoil was used to create the four hills while the concrete was crushed and used in gabions - walls surrounded by steel cages, which provide a spiral path up the tallest hill. |
| The famous twin towers were demolished in 2003 | The famous twin towers were demolished in 2003 |
| It was not the first time a development had been funded by taking spoil, but the size of the project was a landmark. "It was the first time it had been done on such a massive scale," Mr Fink says. | It was not the first time a development had been funded by taking spoil, but the size of the project was a landmark. "It was the first time it had been done on such a massive scale," Mr Fink says. |
| "Initially there was a lot of mistrust locally from residents and local councillors who feared the idea of dumping and were worried about toxic spoil." | "Initially there was a lot of mistrust locally from residents and local councillors who feared the idea of dumping and were worried about toxic spoil." |
| But eventually they persuaded the council and the locals that the project could be done without harming anyone's health or affecting house prices. | But eventually they persuaded the council and the locals that the project could be done without harming anyone's health or affecting house prices. |
| Northala Fields, the new park which includes the hills, has now opened to the public and has been getting a positive reaction locally. | Northala Fields, the new park which includes the hills, has now opened to the public and has been getting a positive reaction locally. |
| When it is completely finished it will offer two playgrounds, a large area for walking and several ponds for fishing and the hills also have the added benefit of helping to muffle traffic noise. | When it is completely finished it will offer two playgrounds, a large area for walking and several ponds for fishing and the hills also have the added benefit of helping to muffle traffic noise. |
| As for Mr Fink's firm, Form Associates, they are hoping to recreate the success of Northala with a huge development in Manchester, Irwell City Park. | As for Mr Fink's firm, Form Associates, they are hoping to recreate the success of Northala with a huge development in Manchester, Irwell City Park. |
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