Progress continues on key access road to keep munitions moving
1 Oct 09
A £5m phased programme of works led by Defence Estates to stabilise a key access road for the movement of munitions is underway at the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency (DSDA) depot at Glen Douglas, Scotland.
A stabilised section of the access road for the movement of front line munitions at the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency depot, Glen Douglas
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
The DSDA depot is located in a remote glen to the east of Loch Long and is accessed by a 4.5-kilometre MOD-owned road suitable for the movement of explosives. The access road was closed in July 2008 following rockfalls which prompted Defence Estates to commission a landslide risk assessment.
Alternative access to the site is via a steep, single-track public access road, which is not suitable for the transport of munitions in the long term, and would therefore have a detrimental impact on front line operations.
A programme of phased stabilisation works delivered by the Defence Estates Regional Prime Contract (Scotland) team, in conjunction with supply chain partners URS and BAM Ritchie, commenced in October 2008 and is on track to complete 13 of the 26 sections of the road by November 2009.
In the interim, Defence Estates has liaised with the Defence Training Estate's (DTE's) strategic partner, Landmarc, to improve the drainage and forestry management on the hillside above the access road, which lies on DTE land.
Areas of hillside are cleared and the timber removed by helicopter
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
This required the felling and removal of two areas of mature forest. As traditional methods would have been too slow for the timescale of the overall access road remediation programme, the felled trees were removed by helicopter, in a process known as 'heli-logging'.
Commenting on the heli-logging process, Shirley Paterson, Landmarc Rural Estate Manager for Scotland, said:
"Helicopter extraction is a first for the MOD, a first for Landmarc, and I believe a first for Scotland. Helicopters are often used for lifting materials into the hills such as stone for path repairs but never for timber extraction. It is a new, exciting development for Landmarc, the helicopter operator and the tree fellers."
Commenting on the overall project to stabilise the access road, John Brennan, Defence Estates Operations North, West of Scotland Area Manager, said:
"There are many stakeholders involved in terms of the military depot and operations and we have also engaged with the local council regarding access arrangements. Any one of them could derail the project but all have been fully committed to making it a success."