The crescent featured on ITV news

Buxton crescent featured on ITV News Granada update

Restoring the Crescent - a life time of challenges

The New Kings Cross Station, the Stade de France or building and running national motorways on the continent, is one thing, but the crescent restoration project provides a life time of engineering and building challenges for Cary Hadfield, Senior Project Manager and his team from Vinci Construction.

Vinci construction is well placed to carry out the complex and challenging work that the crescent poses. As well Motorways, Hotel complexes and other major civic engineering projects, they were the main contractors in the scheme to put a roof over the shell of the Chernobyl complex. This required positioning the cover remotely and working in difficult and dangerous conditions.
Speaking to a packed Poole’s Cavern visitors centre, Cary gave BCA members a fascinating and at times a humorous insight into the progress that has been made so far and his personal journey on the crescent project.

As Cary demonstrated working on the crescent is a bit of a leap into the unknown. The enabling works carried out in 2012 were a major civil engineering project, that required the building of a concrete basement complex, positioned over the springs that provide Nestle with Buxton Spring water. It was scheduled to take 26 weeks but in the end as problems were encountered and solved it was 52 weeks before the works were complete and the Main Contract works could be tendered.
The crescent was built over 200 years ago, at a cost of £38,601, taking eight years to complete, and it has seen numerous attempts to shore up the original work over the years. It is often these previous renovations that pose greater problems than the original building works. Rotten timber structures, incomplete fireplaces all add to the difficulties of working in a Grade 1 listed building and having to adhere to strict conservation guidelines. It all contributes to the project budget of £35 million.

Interestingly conservationists are generally more interested in ensuring that the building and decorating techniques of the past are preserved where ever possible to enable future generations to understand how the building was constructed, rather than individual items that are discovered.
The sensitive nature of the building and the complex of rooms and passages often mean that modern techniques and equipment cannot be used. It is back to the old ways, with no choice but for the team to physically dig out cellars and barrow the waste away. This is physically demanding work, often undertaken in difficult conditions, including the steamy heat when working close to the springs. If the original architect, John Carr was to wander in, he would recognise many of the techniques that were being used.

So far 500 tradesmen and construction workers have been involved in the works and Cary expects that it will be closer to 3,000 by the end of the contract. He paid tribute to the team, who as well as working in often difficult conditions, including many local tradesmen, have shown great resourcefulness and skill in overcoming the challenges thrown up so far.
There were many questions from the floor. Often demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the building, these were answered fully and with attention to detail, often with humour.
The nature of the building mean that there have been unforeseen problems that inevitably cause delays, but almost a year since the restoration work began, Cary and his team believe that they have uncovered the major unseen’s.

He has offered to comeback in the summer of 2018 to give a final report on Vinci’s part in this historic project.

Serpentine Community Farm Project

Dr Mike Monaghan Chair of Buxton Civic Association was delighted to hand over a cheque for £1000 to the volunteers at the Serpentine Community Farm project. BCA has supported the project several times, Mike added “this is an excellent project and shows just how much can be achieved by a dedicated, hardworking community minded group of people.”

The farm, established in 2014, aims to restore derelict council owned greenhouses that are situated just off Serpentine Lane in Buxton. Volunteers are welcome, and the next volunteer days are Wednesday 22nd February, and the following Sunday, 26th February.

Derbyshire County Council are holding a drop in session at Kent Banks Library on Monday 6th February 2017 from 2pm until 6.30pm. There is a link to the poster below.

Ashwood Dale Quarry have applied for an extention (See map below) and further details can be found on the link below.

Link to details on drop in session

Come along and take part in the annual bird survey.

We are taking part in the RSPB's Big Garden Bird Watch this year. Come along to the Cafe at Poole's Cavern and pick up a form and see how many different woodland and garden birds you can spot from the warmth and comfort of the cafe.

Some suggestions on how to improve it.

One of the areas that was identified as 'neglected' in the first Vulnerable Places and Spaces survey was the Old Toilet site on Water Street.

It is currently vacant, though it is used as an off street car park on occasions. We have offered to create a sensory garden on the site with seating and perhaps a statute or two.

We have had an encouraging response from High Peak Borough Council, though for the next few months the site will be used as storage for the building works that are taking place at the Opera House during the spring.

Lyn Noble has prepared an artists impression of how the site could look based on ideas that Diane White has had.

Before working up a detailed proposal we would be interested in ascertaining people's thoughts and ideas.

Please feel free to contact us via the contact form on our website.

Dead wood and fallen trees are the life blood of a healthy wood.

Our latest walking guide is now available from Poole's Cavern Visitor Centre, price £2.50. Written by Lyn Noble it takes you on a journey to uncover the story behind 300 years of lime burning around Buxton. Ideal for individuals, groups or families.

Short Questionnaire on the Civic Movement

Take part in a short questionnaire on the Civic Movement

These are exciting times for Buxton and the Museum and Joe Perry and Gordon Maclellan from Creeping Toad, enticed and intrigued members and friends of Buxton Civic Association with a fascinating talk on how Buxton’s past is to be showcased, explained and demonstrated to future visitors.
As well as a major refurbishment of the interior of the building, sweeping away the narrow corridors and little hideaways to reveal an open space that will tell the story of Buxton, of its geology, environment and people, the visitor will be able to step outside and with the use of new technology, explore the town’s past on foot and even add their own memories and places of interest for others to enjoy using the museum’s new Pocket Wonders website and interactive tool.
Mike Monaghan, BCA Chair, praised the work that the museum and its funders were undertaking to provide a 21st century experience for visitors to the town. He noted that it was encouraging and refreshing that the museum was seeking the views of their customers as part of the process of redesigning the layout and exhibits. It will be a wonderful addition to Buxton.
And there was even more good news. The bear will be staying, housed next to the lift to greet or growl at visitors.
We have a full programme of talks for 2017 opening on Thursday 19th January with Charlie Roberts from Nestle who will talk about the Bottling Plant at Waterswallows. Members and non-members are welcome. All talks start at 7.30pm unless stated otherwise and are held at the Poole’s Cavern Visitor Centre, Green Lane, Buxton.