Center Parcs – Sherwood Forest
Deep in the Nottinghamshire countryside, Sherwood Forest sits in 400 acres of magnificent pine forest which celebrates nature. There’s an invigorating mix of woodland and lakeside, the perfect setting for exploring, relaxing and spending quality time with friends and family.
Corden Perimeter Systems worked closely with their customer Andy Ward, who is a fencing contractor from Blidworth and is responsible for the maintenance of Center Parcs at Sherwood Forest.
The Challenge
Center Parcs prides itself on offering a number of water activities throughout the year. However, offering such a wide range of activities started to take its toll on the lake and its structure. One of the main issues was that the banks of an island that sits in the middle of a lake was starting to erode. After years of use, access to the island was being threatened. These are some of the issues Corden Perimeter Systems faced:
- The lake was in constant use – so quick supply and installation was essential.
- The lake needed to be drained meaning that this task was not something Center Parcs wanted to repeat within 10 years – therefore a substantial solution was required.
- This was not a situation where a solution could be tested – the installed bank protection needed to work immediately.
The Solution
Following a site visit, it was clear that the lake needed to be drained and then refilled as quickly as possible.
Corden Perimeter Systems recommended that the best solution would be to install Gabions. Gabions (from Italian gabbione meaning “big cage”) can be installed in a number of different sizes and thickness of wire. This ground reinforcement technique is also very effective for water bank protection and strengthening in coastal or active water situations.
Once the gabions were fitted, they were backfilled with decorative stones which make the island banks an attractive, robust and practical feature of the lake.
Center Parcs are delighted with the installation and a number of visitors have also commented on the new characteristic of the island.
Added Value
The wealth of experience from the Corden Perimeter Systems team, along with unrivalled product knowledge, enabled them to work with the main contractor to install a secure and cost effective fencing solution. The supply and install package was delivered on time and within budget.