The 820m long Ramsgate Harbour Approach Road Tunnel, which provides direct access to Ramsgate’s port area, passes through chalk cliffs under the village of Pegwell. The first 190m of tunnel was designed as top down construction due to shallow cover, with the main length constructed as NATM. A ‘prevaulted’ tunnel solution was adopted, enabling the vertical alignment to be lowered. This was the first time the Perforex system was used in the UK avoiding construction disruption to the Pegwell community, major utility diversions and the demolition of a number of properties. The partnering approach to the project, using an integrated team and value engineering, enabled all parties to work together effectively to enhance the successful delivery of the project. Working as an integrated team with shared roles and resources, full open book accounting allowed the impact of value engineering to be quickly assessed. Safety was paramount and no serious injuries were reported.
Judging Panel’s Comments: This is a project that brought together many design concepts and construction techniques leading to a successful scheme. Buildings overlying the project that were originally due for demolition, actually survived construction. The project, as a direct result of its design approach, delivered both environmental and financial savings to all of the parties involved.
