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One vision for a brand new community
23 August 2010
When Malcolm Silkstone decided to embark on a colossal regeneration programme for Bailiffe Bridge village, West Yorkshire, as much help as possible was needed to complete the challenge. Marley Alutec aluminium rainwater gutters were supplied to restore and refurbish part of the project.
Twenty-four years ago, Malcolm Silkstone founded the Bailiffe Bridge Community Association to help build a long-standing community for the village. His vision included the expansion of the only public building, a school, and the construction of over 500 houses, a community centre and library. In addition, the project was extended to the complete repair of the park pavilion, which was deemed derelict five years ago.
The memorial park gardens in Bailiffe Bridge are a significant part of the massive regeneration programme, with the new community centre and library located adjacent to the area. Originally built in the 1920’s, much of the pavilion’s cast iron guttering had significantly deteriorated with age and was corroded. ‘It was extremely important to find a high quality product to replicate the traditional cast iron effect, to reflect the era of the building, and with Alutec this was achieved,’ explains Malcolm Silkstone.
The Alutec moulded ogee rainwater system was specified complete with four downpipes.
The system was supplied in Heritage Black, a polyester powder coating designed to emulate the appearance of cast iron. The Alutec aluminium rainwater range is manufactured from cast and extruded high grade aluminium and is compatible in profile, size and tolerances to that of comparable British Standard cast iron.
Aluminium presents an alternative which has the traditional look and style of cast iron, but also offers high performance, practically no maintenance and proven environmental benefits. Aluminium’s high performance and exceptional durability makes it a strong contender for all building sizes and demands. It is infinitely easier to handle and install on site than cast iron due to its low weight. The low maintenance benefit of aluminium is equally appealing to heritage projects, as the long term cost of maintenance may be prohibitive when considering using the original materials, such as cast iron.
The guttering was installed with the help of the Probation Service, providing workers to give something back to the area. The pavilion and park, now fully restored, will be the focal part of the community and host to many events, bringing everyone together.
“The specification of Marley Alutec guttering has enabled the restoration of the pavilion, still in keeping with the traditional 1920’s style. The aluminium guttering has meant a lightweight and robust option, with minimum maintenance required – a desirable option for us”, explains Malcolm Silkstone.
“This has been a very long, yet rewarding, project involving an immense amount of hard work and help from many individuals and companies. We have managed to provide the foundation for a long-standing community, with a range of services to benefit all. We are now at a stage where the structures for the centre and library have been built, it will take us another 18 months to finish the interior and to be fully useable.
“This programme highlights that when people come together to work efficiently, the impossible can be done!”
