Overview:
In partnership with Newham Council, and with support from the U.K. government’s Levelling up Fund, Marlborough Highways transformed four alleyways in Little Ilford, East London. These neglected residential pathways were revitalised with high-quality asphalt, vibrant murals, and new greenery, creating inviting spaces that serve as a source of community pride.
The Challenge
Little Ilford’s residential alleyways in the London Borough of Newham had become rundown and uninviting, with uneven surfaces and outdated aesthetics, detracting from the neighbourhood’s appeal. The pathways, each approximately 2.5 metres wide, spanned a combined length of approximately 120 metres. To address these issues, Marlborough partnered with Newham Council to devise a plan focused on not only improving pathway durability but also adding elements that would enhance the area’s visual appeal and support biodiversity. The team faced the challenge of excavating and resurfacing the alleys, setting sturdy footway edging, and seamlessly integrating custom-designed murals and intricate block paving centrepieces, each bearing a distinct symbol. Additionally, the installation of tree pits and planters was planned to increase local greenery and contribute to the area’s ecosystem.
The Solution
Marlborough employed a comprehensive approach to rejuvenate the alleyways. The existing surfaces were excavated, followed by the laying of a robust 20mm base and 6mm asphalt topping over a Type 1 sub-base to ensure durability. Meanwhile, an innovative AluExcel metal edging material was fitted to provide a clean, lasting border along the paths. With designs provided by the Council, Marlborough’s Line Marking team then brought vibrant colours and attractive symbols to life through ground murals, adding character and warmth to each pathway. To complement the artistic elements, tree pits and planters were installed at some of the locations, designed to host new saplings and foster greater local biodiversity. Finally, the existing railings were refreshed and painted yellow, adding a bright and welcoming touch. The result is a project that has provided the community with visually pleasing, well-maintained alleyways that promote walking, cycling and neighbourhood pride.
Fact File
Client Newham Council
Date October – November 2024
Duration 8 weeks
Project
- Surface excavation across four residential alleyways
- Installation of Type 1 sub-base, with a 20mm base layer and 6mm asphalt topping
- Metal edging installation with AluExcel for durability
- Custom mural painting on pathway surfaces following Council designs
- Unique block paving centrepieces displaying a variety of symbols
- Tree pits and planters installation to encourage greenery and biodiversity
- Repainting of existing railings to match the refreshed aesthetics
Team
- 1 full time Project Manager
- 1 Supervisor
- 4 Marlborough Operatives across a variety of trades
Quote from client
“Marlborough have done a great job bringing the Little Ilford Brighter Alleyways designs to life. Their professional approach and quality implementation have helped transform these alleyways into safer, more welcoming spaces for residents.”
Scheherezade Soodeen, Landscape Architect, Newham Council
A community co-designed scheme
The Little Ilford Brighter Alleyways project formed part of the larger Newham High Streets Programme, with backing from the national Levelling Up Fund. Through public engagements, local people were asked to suggest and vote for projects to improve their area. These recommendations included enhancement to the Little Ilford alleyways, with Council workshops following, in which residents, businesses, art organisations, and Newham schools were invited to contribute to the creative process. The result was a community designed scheme, with the artistic plans finalised by a professional agency team.
Operating in limited space
With narrow alleyways limiting manoeuvrability for equipment and materials, brining vehicles and heavy plant on site was challenging. As such, the team used compact machinery and carefully scheduled material deliveries to minimise disruption and keep the project on schedule.
Weather challenges
With the project taking place in October and November, the site crew needed to contend with London’s unpredictable autumn weather. This included much higher levels of rainfall than typical, affecting surfacing and painting schedules. The team monitored forecasts closely and used protective coverings and adjusted timings, ensuring asphalt curing and paint drying were unaffected.
“One of the things I value most is their very collaborative and transparent team culture. It makes a big difference to have a contractor that wants to work closely with us and is supportive and responsive. With Marlborough, I get a team who are attentive, work collaboratively and honestly with me and don’t lose focus on delivering first class communications and compliance.”
“From the design stage, Marlborough has been fundamental in delivering the Broad Lane Square improvements scheme. During the works, not only did the team manage to keep to the programme, but they went the extra mile to ensure attention to detail and came up with innovative solutions to address issues encountered on site. My thanks on behalf of Haringey goes out to Marlborough for their dedication to deliver.”
“Working alongside our Term Service Contractor Marlborough Highways, we successfully completed renovations to the Crowstone Footbridge. The designs were provided by Marlborough, and the work was unique. The scheme was completed to budget and ahead of its programme duration.”
“I would like to thank you and your team for your efforts, the Marlborough crews were professional, courteous, and hard working all day and ensured the event went without a hitch. You and the team were a credit to the company, demonstrating commitment and support to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.”
“I just wanted to say what a pleasure it has been to work with Marlborough Highways over the last six months. The quality of work is superb, and there has been some excellent collaboration between Milestone and Marlborough to complete, what at times, has been quite a challenging scheme. I hope to work with Marlborough on another project in the near future.”
“Marlborough worked with us in constructing a 1.3km cycle track. There were a number of technical difficulties to overcome, and their gifted foreman worked to propose some innovative solutions to the challenges we faced. The result is a facility that the locals are proud of, providing walkers and cyclists with alternative access to the hospital and nearby school. The scheme was a lot of hard work, but well worth it.”
“Marlborough attracts people who take care and have pride in their work. Several gangs of Operatives worked tirelessly for six months to reconstruct drainage networks, lay more than 3km of high quality bespoke granite kerbs and granite channels blocks to ensure positive drainage. The technical compliance, attention to detail and level of quality finish along the entire carriageway was exceptional”.
“We saw huge benefits in appointing Marlborough as our full service contractor and we’re impressed – they’ve delivered consistent high quality service and superior quality control across every project. Marlborough, provide us with a ‘one-stop’ shop solution – we get the same quality of service and better control across all aspects of the project.”
Please see our privacy notice for more information on how Marlborough Highways Ltd take care of your details.