Retaining Wall Replacement and Slope Stabilisation Works
Retaining Wall Replacement and Slope Stabilisation Works
PROJECT DETAILS
Duration
12 Weeks
Location
Midsomer Norton
Value
£300,000
Expertise
Principal Contractor
Sector
Care Home
Combe Lea Residential Care Home is a residential care facility in Midsomer Norton operated by Bath & North East Somerset Council. The home provides accommodation, care and wellbeing support for older adults, including residents living with dementia and physical disabilities. As an important community asset, maintaining a safe, comfortable and reliable environment for residents, visitors and staff is essential.
Client Requirements
The care home had an ageing retaining crib wall that had started to deteriorate, leading to ground movement and reduced stability in the surrounding area. This created a potential risk to the site, particularly given its use by residents, staff and visitors. The project's aim was to remove the failing structure, stabilise the ground, and deliver a long-term solution to ensure the area remained safe and secure.
How we Helped
With no viable route for conventional plant access to the rear garden, King Lifting carried out a complex three-storey, 10-tonne crane lift to safely position machinery and materials into the working area. This allowed the project to progress without disturbing residents or compromising the operational areas of the site.
Once access had been established, excavator-mounted drill rigs and a dedicated grout plant were mobilised, supported by a temporary scaffold ramp to reach the required wall elevations and working platforms safely and efficiently.
Stabilisation works were then carried out using a combination of soil nailing, ground anchoring and surface restraint systems to reinforce the failing structure. This included installing 90mm diameter R32-360 hollow bar soil nails, drilled up to 7 metres into the ground using rotary percussive drilling. As each bar was advanced, cement grout was continuously injected through the hollow core, forming the bore and bonding the nail into the surrounding soil in a single operation. The upper sections of the system were galvanised to provide long-term corrosion protection, while selected nails were load tested up to 120kN to verify performance and design compliance.
Ground stabilisation works completed with finished landscaping
Additional restraint was provided with 3–4 metre rebar ground anchors, working alongside the soil nails to improve overall wall stability and resist lateral ground movement. At the surface, each fixing was completed with galvanised headplates and protective caps, ensuring durability while maintaining a safe pedestrian environment.
Surface stabilisation was achieved using galvanised DELTAX mesh, fixed across the timber crib wall and returned over the top to secure the structure and prevent surface movement. Supporting these works, planters and paving were carefully removed to create safe working platforms, with excavated material reused on site to infill a disused pond, reducing waste and improving site safety and presentation.
Project Outcome
The completed works have delivered a robust and engineered stabilisation system that secures the retaining wall for the long term. The combination of soil nails, ground anchors and surface reinforcement has significantly improved the structural integrity of the wall, reducing the risk of future movement.
Importantly, the project was delivered with minimal disruption to the care home, allowing residents and staff to continue using the facility safely throughout the construction period. The carefully managed logistics and phased approach ensured that safety was maintained at all times within the live environment.
The scheme has also enhanced the safety and usability of the garden areas, providing a more secure environment for residents and visitors. From a sustainability perspective, the reuse of excavated material on site helped reduce waste and improve efficiency.
PROJECT DETAILS
Duration
12 Weeks Weeks
Location
Midsomer Norton
Combe Lea Residential Care Home is a residential care facility in Midsomer Norton operated by Bath & North East Somerset Council. The home provides accommodation, care and wellbeing support for older adults, including residents living with dementia and physical disabilities. As an important community asset, maintaining a safe, comfortable and reliable environment for residents, visitors and staff is essential.
What Combe Lea Residential Care Home Wanted
The care home had an ageing retaining crib wall that had started to deteriorate, leading to ground movement and reduced stability in the surrounding area. This created a potential risk to the site, particularly given its use by residents, staff and visitors. The project's aim was to remove the failing structure, stabilise the ground, and deliver a long-term solution to ensure the area remained safe and secure.
How we Helped
With no viable route for conventional plant access to the rear garden, King Lifting carried out a complex three-storey, 10-tonne crane lift to safely position machinery and materials into the working area. This allowed the project to progress without disturbing residents or compromising the operational areas of the site.
Once access had been established, excavator-mounted drill rigs and a dedicated grout plant were mobilised, supported by a temporary scaffold ramp to reach the required wall elevations and working platforms safely and efficiently.
Stabilisation works were then carried out using a combination of soil nailing, ground anchoring and surface restraint systems to reinforce the failing structure. This included installing 90mm diameter R32-360 hollow bar soil nails, drilled up to 7 metres into the ground using rotary percussive drilling. As each bar was advanced, cement grout was continuously injected through the hollow core, forming the bore and bonding the nail into the surrounding soil in a single operation. The upper sections of the system were galvanised to provide long-term corrosion protection, while selected nails were load tested up to 120kN to verify performance and design compliance.
Ground stabilisation works completed with finished landscaping
Additional restraint was provided with 3–4 metre rebar ground anchors, working alongside the soil nails to improve overall wall stability and resist lateral ground movement. At the surface, each fixing was completed with galvanised headplates and protective caps, ensuring durability while maintaining a safe pedestrian environment.
Surface stabilisation was achieved using galvanised DELTAX mesh, fixed across the timber crib wall and returned over the top to secure the structure and prevent surface movement. Supporting these works, planters and paving were carefully removed to create safe working platforms, with excavated material reused on site to infill a disused pond, reducing waste and improving site safety and presentation.
Project Outcome
The completed works have delivered a robust and engineered stabilisation system that secures the retaining wall for the long term. The combination of soil nails, ground anchors and surface reinforcement has significantly improved the structural integrity of the wall, reducing the risk of future movement.
Importantly, the project was delivered with minimal disruption to the care home, allowing residents and staff to continue using the facility safely throughout the construction period. The carefully managed logistics and phased approach ensured that safety was maintained at all times within the live environment.
The scheme has also enhanced the safety and usability of the garden areas, providing a more secure environment for residents and visitors. From a sustainability perspective, the reuse of excavated material on site helped reduce waste and improve efficiency.
Value
£300,000
Expertise
Principal Contractor
Sector
Care Home
