9 February 2012
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1 July 2009
Hyder helps bring top class horse racing back to West Wales
Hyder Consulting - the international design and advisory consultancy - has undertaken major infrastructure design works for the Ffos Las racecourse, which has recently staged its opening event and the region’s first since 1937.
The National Hunt and Flat Turf track – located in Carmarthenshire between Carway and Trimsaran – is the first venue in West Wales to host professional horse races for more than 70 years and the first new turf racecourse to open in the UK since 1928.
The 245 hectare site was formerly the Ffos Las Opencast Coal Mine and was acquired by directors of the construction and mining group, Walters, in 2002. Walters UK - a company within the group - acted as principle contractor on the project.
As well as the world-class, 60 metre-wide, one mile four furlong race track, the project included construction of a grandstand, related hospitality buildings, a hotel, technical buildings, a stabling complex, a 36 acre residential development and an eight acre commercial area with associated infrastructure.
The track itself required 1.5m cubic metres of earthworks, together with track drainage and irrigation – and all runoff water from the developed areas of the project is collected in specially designed reservoirs and then recycled for track irrigation.
The scope of Hyder's design work includes all highway infrastructure and drainage together with a major pumping station, a rising main and the irrigation lakes.
A new access has also been created off the existing road between Trimsaran and Carway with a new roundabout and corridor reserved for a future Carway bypass. Internal site roads were also constructed, incorporating two bridges.
Stephen A Davies, Associate at Hyder Consulting said: "We are proud to have helped deliver this prestigious project, which has once again given West Wales access to a world-class horse racing venue.
"The track is going to provide a racing surface to rival any course in the world - it has the benefit of 30 kilometres of drainage and is designed with slopes that comply with the British Horseracing Authority’s requirements.
This will provide a superb, world class track both for jockeys and horses - and for race spectators."
David Thursfield, director and shareholder of Ffos Las Ltd and the Walters Group, said: "The opening event was attended by 10,000 race goers and was acclaimed by all as a resounding success.
"The jockeys, trainers and owners love the place and there is no doubt that Ffos Las will soon be hosting racing of the very highest quality. We are grateful for the key role that Hyder has played in the design of the works."
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The National Hunt and Flat Turf track – located in Carmarthenshire between Carway and Trimsaran – is the first venue in West Wales to host professional horse races for more than 70 years and the first new turf racecourse to open in the UK since 1928.
The 245 hectare site was formerly the Ffos Las Opencast Coal Mine and was acquired by directors of the construction and mining group, Walters, in 2002. Walters UK - a company within the group - acted as principle contractor on the project.
As well as the world-class, 60 metre-wide, one mile four furlong race track, the project included construction of a grandstand, related hospitality buildings, a hotel, technical buildings, a stabling complex, a 36 acre residential development and an eight acre commercial area with associated infrastructure.
The track itself required 1.5m cubic metres of earthworks, together with track drainage and irrigation – and all runoff water from the developed areas of the project is collected in specially designed reservoirs and then recycled for track irrigation.
The scope of Hyder's design work includes all highway infrastructure and drainage together with a major pumping station, a rising main and the irrigation lakes.
A new access has also been created off the existing road between Trimsaran and Carway with a new roundabout and corridor reserved for a future Carway bypass. Internal site roads were also constructed, incorporating two bridges.
Stephen A Davies, Associate at Hyder Consulting said: "We are proud to have helped deliver this prestigious project, which has once again given West Wales access to a world-class horse racing venue.
"The track is going to provide a racing surface to rival any course in the world - it has the benefit of 30 kilometres of drainage and is designed with slopes that comply with the British Horseracing Authority’s requirements.
This will provide a superb, world class track both for jockeys and horses - and for race spectators."
David Thursfield, director and shareholder of Ffos Las Ltd and the Walters Group, said: "The opening event was attended by 10,000 race goers and was acclaimed by all as a resounding success.
"The jockeys, trainers and owners love the place and there is no doubt that Ffos Las will soon be hosting racing of the very highest quality. We are grateful for the key role that Hyder has played in the design of the works."
