AX-S™ Recessed Covers provides the ideal solution for Prescot’s Historic Town Centre Rejuvenation Project
Case Study Details
Client
Prescot Council
Location
North West, UK
Product
AX-S™ Recessed Cover
Sector
Infrastructure
Case Study
As part of a £95 million-pound government fund to bring new leases of life to fledgling high streets across the UK, Prescot in Merseyside was selected as one of the 69 high streets to receive a share of the funds, delivered through England’s Historic successful Heritage Action Zone initiative.
The funds were to be used to make physical improvements aimed at regenerating the high street and restoring its local historic character. Disused or underused buildings would be transformed into creative spaces, shops, housing, and offices.
Prescot is one of 14 high streets in the North West of England that was selected alongside Ormskirk, Chester, Lancaster, Wigan, and Blackpool. All these locations fell within close proximity to Cubis’ Liverpool manufacturing facility, from where the products were delivered.
Prescot’s historical leafy cobbled high street needed some major rejuvenation, with years of access to utilities damaging the once traditional cobbled streets with patches of concrete and tarmac. The installation of alternative, cheaper non-structural recessed covers also didn’t stand the test of time, becoming damaged upon lifting and causing cracking of the infilled material due to weaker cover trays.
Cubis’ early engagement was key to the selection of the correct recessed covers for the specified streetscape material of 150mm cobbles. Cubis’ specification team worked closely with HA Civils onsite to survey, measure, and mark up all 60 existing covers to identify the best solution for the installation required. Cubis’ AX-S™ Recessed Home zone Frames provided such a solution for repaving the entire market street. These frames allowed the contractor to butt the 150mm cobble block up to the frames without the need for cutting down and provided a quality blended aesthetic to the historical high street, hiding the access covers to vital utilities within the newly cobbled streets.
Cubis’ AX-S™ recessed covers have been designed and developed to provide a blended-in cover solution to areas of slow-moving traffic where the demarcation between pedestrians and drivers is minimised. These are typically found within town centres and shopping areas where multiple infill materials can be used, such as tarmac and block paving. Cubis’ AX-S™ recessed covers meet the required BS EN124: 1994 loadings and are manufactured from 6mm steel to provide greater strength than other alternatives once filled with infill material.
The recessed covers are designed with tapered sides and centralised lifting points to allow the cover to slide out of the frame and be safely removed by one operative. Cubis’ AX-S™ recessed covers are also available in a wide range of sizes with bespoke options to suit the specified requirements of the application, with multi-cover units, security, and badging options available.
