Design and construction of the tower headland wave walls, Blackpool, UK

The Blackpool central area scheme is the largest coastal defence project recently completed in the UK. The headland adjacent to the town's iconic Victorian tower represents the aesthetic focal point of the scheme. As a key element in the coastal defence structure of the headland, the wave walls represented a significant challenge to the project team. The aesthetic demands of the project required the highest possible quality in terms of geometric tolerances and surface finishes. This quality had to be achieved in the harsh tidal environment and under tight programme and budget constraints. These challenges were met collaboratively by the project team and a number of innovative approaches were adopted.