Clevedon Pier

The requirements

Clevedon Pier is the UK’s only Grade I-listed pier. A new visitor centre had been commissioned to provide improved facilities.

TRS Group was contracted to provide temporary works to enable construction of the new centre whilst maintaining public access to the pier via a temporary walkway. A temporary roof was also required to protect the project site from the elements and support the construction programme.

As construction of the visitor centre necessitated closure of the original access route, a temporary walkway was designed using an existing bedrock outcrop running parallel to the promenade. The structure was required to accommodate a live load of 5.0kN/m², maintain a maximum gradient of 1:12, provide wheelchair access, withstand tidal and weather conditions and remain in service for up to two years.

The project also required a weatherproof temporary roof to protect the works, minimise water ingress and allow construction to continue in an exposed coastal environment. Limited space for ground-bearing supports, the requirement for an inclined roof profile and retractable roof sheets to facilitate glazing installation presented several key design challenges.

Our solution

TRS Group assessed a number of design options before selecting a traditional tube-and-fitting scaffold solution for the temporary walkway. The design provided flexibility where support locations were restricted, eliminated the need for temporary foundations, reduced tidal loading and enabled safe installation in line with industry best practice.

To ensure the structure could withstand wind, storm and tidal impacts, the scaffold was secured to the existing sea wall and bedrock using heavy-duty anchors, with 50% of anchors pull-tested to verify performance. An anti-slip mineral felt finish was applied to an OSB base layer positioned over the scaffold board deck, creating a durable, waterproof walking surface suited to the marine environment.

For the temporary roof, TRS Group utilised the existing retaining wall adjacent to the visitor centre to support the structure. Vertical steel members were fixed to the wall to transfer vertical and lateral loads efficiently, while stepped roof beams were used to achieve the required roof profile. A full-scale mock-up was constructed at TRS Group’s yard to validate the design and ensure the Keder roof sheets could be retracted as required for the installation of the visitor centre glazing.