Following a highly competitive tendering process, leading sportsturf contractors Agripower Contractors were chosen to redevelop the Philathletic Sports Ground at Harrow School in Middlesex.
The aim of the project was to develop the sports ground area to accommodate five natural cricket wickets, one synthetic cricket wicket and outfields, complete with irrigation, material storage area and landscaping.
After spraying off the area, the existing turf was broken down to a workable condition for supporting growth. Two specific areas were stripped of topsoil and filled to grade out the severe undulations. A mains and lateral drainage system was then designed and installed by the company’s in-house team to pick up the individual outfields and wickets whilst negotiating the existing 600mm storm and 450mm sewer pipelines running through the site.
The two areas requiring ‘fill’ were then brought up to the required level with subsoil gained from the lateral drainage, helping to reduce the financial and environmental impact of the project. After the topsoil replacement and grading were completed, lateral drains were installed and the soil was prepared ready for seeding.
Irrigation sprinklers were also installed to each natural cricket wicket along with a new potable water supply to an existing clubhouse, which after an underground services survey, proved to be more of a challenge than first thought due to the existing storm drains, sewers and utility cables from the surrounding residential areas criss-crossing the site which required patience and careful excavations by the company’s irrigation team.
After the final cultivations and pre-seeding fertiliser application, the site was then seeded with Barenbrug Bar 7. Careful planning of each outfield area maximised the use of equipment and labour and dramatically reduced the programme.
