A team of surveyors preparing for work to be carried out as part of the £15.2m Ashbourne Reborn transformation programme have cleared significant blockages in the town centre drainage network.
The surveys, conducted as part of the Derbyshire County Council-led public realm and highways element of Ashbourne Reborn, could not be carried out effectively without clearing the drains first. As a result, the project requested additional jetting which, as a side-benefit, will deliver immediate improvements to the town centre ahead of works to the highways later in the year.
The series of surveys were commissioned to investigate drainage systems around St John Street West/East, Buxton Road and Dig Street, where planned highways improvement works will help transform the pedestrian experience in Ashbourne with wider footways and new and improved crossings. Images show a visualisation of Dig Street once the work is finished (credit: Lathams).
To carry out the surveys, the team sent a remote-controlled robot into the sewer to capture video images which will provide information to help understand the condition of the drainage network. In preparation, teams were asked to carry out jetting to safely remove and dispose of significant build ups of silt and debris that were causing blockages. As a result, drainage is now back to 100% capacity in the survey area. As well as future-proofing the improvements to be delivered by the Ashbourne Reborn programme, the work will help the town centre from now on by reducing flood risk and allowing surface water to drain more freely. Images below from the survey show an old brick storm water sewer at St John Street, possibly dating back over a hundred years (provided by programme designers Aecom).
In January 2023, central government approved a Levelling Up Fund (LUF) bid designed to transform the town centre. LUF is contributing £13.4m and the total programme will cost £15.2m. The exciting initiative, which is expected to finish by autumn 2025, will pave the way for a more pedestrian-friendly town centre, transformed public spaces and seven-days a week community facilities in the Link Community Hub.
Ashbourne Reborn is led by Derbyshire Dales District Council working with Derbyshire County Council and Ashbourne Methodist Church as key delivery partners, in collaboration with Ashbourne Town Team, Ashbourne Town Council and AshCom. Partners will continue to work closely to ensure that residents, businesses and visitors to Ashbourne are informed and involved throughout the delivery of the project.
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