The double ended long and triple jump runway was 53m long x 1.22m wide and the two landing pits were 9m long x 3m wide.

Fineturf’s Volvo 360 excavated the formation of the runway and landing pits and using laser guided equipment the levels were set.

A concrete pin kerb edging was installed on the runway and the jump pit edging was rubber topped for safety reasons. A concrete slab walkway was also fitted around the jump pit.

The runway was constructed using a clean stone base prior to laying a porous macadam course and the final surface, a rubber wet pour surface. Foundation troughs and take off boards were fitted to allow long jump from both ends and triple jump from one end.

The Russell Square turf works included cultivation with a Blecavator and ground preparation with a pedestrian rotor rake before final ground preparation, by hand. The surface was installed using big roll turf.

Further work in Russell Square and 3 other sites included deep tine aeration, with 19mm solid tines and overseeding using a Vredo disc seeder and Limagrain MM50 grass seed.

In October 2011 we reconstructed the 13th green on the John O’ Gaunt course to USGA specification.

The existing turf was removed using the excavator. The green formation was shaped and a solid consolidated base constructed down to formation to allow for the material required during the construction build up. The excavator power tilt bucket was then used to cut drainage trenches into the formation in which 100mm perforated drainage pipe was laid. The trenches were backfilled with 4-10mm washed gravel.

With the drainage installed, a 100mm 4-10mm washed gravel carpet was spread across the entire base. Following this, using a 2-4mm grit, a 25mm blinding layer was installed and finally a 350mm layer of 70/30 rootzone completed the construction profile. For more information on a golf green construction take a look at our article from a project at Thorpe Wood Golf Club.

The excavator then shaped the surrounds ensuring the contours married into the new green and surrounding fairway.

The surface was installed using big roll turf, 70% Fescue, 30% Bent greens mixture on USGA sand.

The 200 yard par 3 4th hole now contains 6 bunkers, 3 on either side of the green, creating a very challenging tee shot for the golfers. The extension to the 18th tee has added extra distance to the hole during competition play.

The time lapse movie below shows the bunker renovation on the 4th hole.

• Removal of existing vegetation using a GKB Combinator
• Cultivation of the entire garden
• Laser Levelling of the garden using a Blec Laser Grader
• Re-Cultivation of the lawn followed by stone removal and burying
• Final ground preparation, performed by hand using landscaping rakes
• Fertiliser application
• Installation of large roll cultivated lawn turf

When laying turf on a garden of this size Fineturf use large roll lawn turf. Each roll averages around 20m2 and is laid using a tractor mounted laying frame, reducing the number of joins in the turf and increasing the speed in which the area can be turfed. The same method is used on large sports pitch construction projects.

The scope of works included:

One full size first team football pitch (7,260m2)

Vegetation Removal, Cultivation, Topsoil Importation, Sand Amelioration, Laser Levelling, Drainage System Installation, Fertiliser Application, Large Roll Sports Turf Installation

Three additional football pitches, one rugby pitch

Vegetation Removal, Cultivation, Topsoil Strip, Earthworks, Cut and Fill, Topsoil Replacement, Sand Amelioration, Laser Levelling, Drainage System Installation, Fertiliser Application, Sports Seed Sowing

Three natural cricket strips

Excavate Base, Laser Level Formation, Loam Application, Final Ground Preparation and Seed Sowing

One artificial cricket strip

Excavate Base, Level Clean Stone, Blinding Dust Layer, Shock Pad Carpet Installation, Timber Edge Installation, Lay Artificial Carpet

Growing in period and maintenance

Fertiliser Application, Mowing, Deep Tine Aeration, Top Dressing

The construction methods employed in this playing field construction were similar to a project we completed at the City of Lincoln School Academy. For more information take a look at our article City of Lincoln School Sports Pitch Construction.

The challenging project delivered three natural grass sports pitches to be used as part of the facilities at the new leisure complex. During the project Fineturf worked closely with the local authority, local planning authority and the Environment Agency to overcome issues associated with Brownfield Sites such as these.

Firstly, the damaged turf was removed together with the thatch and slime layers. The result of this was a clean topsoil layer which would provide the base for the rest of the re-construction. This layer was then cultivated and precision laser graded.

Following this, 40 tons of sports sand was spread onto the surface using a Dakota Turf Tender. This sand was ameliorated into the cultivated topsoil layer. The surface was laser graded for a second time and final ground preparation was completed using hand rakes.

A 6:5:18 pre turf fertiliser was applied and the surface laid with greens turf 70% Fescue, 30% Bent grown on a sandy field soil.

During the project new county concrete channels were installed along with a slabbed perimeter walkway.

The existing surface was removed by first stripping the turf and following this, the area was cultivated using a Blecavator prior to being precision laser graded. 40 tons of sports sand was then spread onto the bowling green in two separate 20 ton layers. Each layer of the sports sand was then ameliorated into the existing surface using the Blecavator.

The bowling green was precision laser levelled for a second time prior to final ground preparation using hand rakes. A Greentec 6:5:18 fertiliser from Headland Amenity was applied and the surface sown with Limagrain MM10 Grass Seed, an excellent bowling green fescue / bent mixture.

The old surface was removed using a GKB Combinator to a depth of 20mm. The area was left clean and free of debris ready for two passes with a Kuhn Spike Rotavator to break up and loosen the surface.

Following the cultivation of the surface it was rolled, prior to being precision laser levelled using a Blec Laser Grader.

With the surface level the Kuhn Spike Rotavator completed one more pass and the playing field was rolled again afterwards.

Three passes were completed with a Blec Rotor Rake and 25mm of 70/30 rootzone was spread using Fineturf’s custom Sand Spreaders. The rootzone was luted into the prepped surface.

Pre seed fertiliser was applied and the pitch sown using Limagrain MM60 sports seed.

During the project a full irrigation system was also installed with Hunter I-40 sprinklers.