Overview:
In partnership with Newham Council and East Architecture, Marlborough Highways constructed a memorial pathway as part of the Beckton Parks Masterplan in the London Borough of Newham. Dedicated to the memory of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the attractive new walkway has transformed and formalised a well-trodden, previously makeshift route, connecting a residential estate to the north with Beckton DLR station to the south.
The Challenge
The Beckton Masterplan is a project led by Newham Council to revitalise 36 hectors of green space in the London Borough of Newham. As part of the ambitious scheme, which has involved extensive resident engagement, an area of parkland has been renamed Beckton Meadows, where hundreds of wildflowers have been planted, and a butterfly garden is being created. At the heart of Beckton Meadows there existed an informal footpath, connecting residential streets at one end of Beckton Park, to Beckton DLR station at the other. To make the journey, walkers needed to cut through bushes and navigate a metal railing, with the unpractical walkway both unsightly and unsafe. The well-trodden, but inaccessible route, was identified as one which should be made permanent and more user-friendly. Plans were subsequently put forward by East Architecture for a pathway that would offer walkers greater accessibility while allowing them to enjoy the enhanced surroundings and to reconnect with nature.
The London Borough of Newham has a long and proud royal history. So, following the sad death of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and with the permission of the Cabinet Office, there was overwhelming support to dedicate the new footway to her memory, with features needed that would provide a long and lasting tribute to her life and service. The memorial route also had to be in line with the wider Beckton Masterplan objectives, with a need for it to compliment the natural surroundings, while acting as a place for people to meet, travel and play. On approval of the East Architecture designs, Newham Council appointed Marlborough Highways to deliver the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Pathway. It was important that the project was completed to an exceptional standard and to a tight deadline, with quality materials and innovative construction techniques required. There was also a need to keep disruption to a minimum while works were undertaken, with the park having to remain open to the public throughout.
The Solution
On inspection of the site during the excavation period, Marlborough’s Civils team worked with Newham Council, ensuring that the pathway’s size, shape, and features were fully in keeping with the natural environment and to East Architecture’s vision. After preparing the ground with a specialised Type 1 Sub-base that allows for better drainage, Marlborough’s Surfacing team then laid a porous CEDEC gravel material complete with durable edging, along the main 120m long, 3m wide path. A rich golden surface colour was used, which contrasted with the walkway’s entrance, where the ground was finished with a hard-wearing, darker toned resin. At the midway section, an adjoining curved trail was built, made from wood chippings, and designed as an area for people to stop, relax, and unwind. It was here that Marlborough positioned a cycle stand and two stylish benches, creating a place for people to come together and to admire the wildflowers.
Throughout the construction period, Marlborough managed a traffic lights system where the road met with the park’s south entrance. This allowed them to transport the materials and lightweight plant machinery on and off the site quickly, easily, and with minimum disruption to park and road users. This proved vital, particularly when heavy rains disrupted works, and additional equipment had to be brought on site at short notice to deal with the clogged soil.
Now open to the public, the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Pathway serves not only as an enduring legacy to her life, but also as an accessible new space for the entire community to enjoy. Offering a beautiful and wheelchair-friendly connection through Beckton Meadows, the robust pathway will deliver benefits for decades to come, only improving over time as the nearby wildflowers blossom, and the newly planted trees that line the walkway mature.
Fact File
Client Newham Council
Date October 2023 – March 2024
Duration 5 months
Value £150,000
Project
- Construction of 120m long, 3m wide memorial pathway
- Ground excavated and prepared with a quality Type 1 Sub-base material
- Footway surface created using specialised CEDEC gravel finish
- Fitting of edging
- Positioning of 2 benches and a bike stand
- Curved, wood chipped area created
Team
- 1 full time Project Manager
- 1 Supervisor
- 4 Marlborough Operatives across a variety of trades
Sustainability
- Approximately 70% of the excavation material was re-shaped into a feature mound, where wildflowers have been planted. It has made the space more attractive and is contributing to greater biodiversity.
- The new memorial pathway encourages active travel, where users may previously have opted to make their journey by bus or car.
Quotes
“We are delighted that the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Pathway is now open. The new pathway provides an attractive route through the park, that as well as providing a practical route to the station, allows people to enjoy and explore the new wildflower meadows. This new tree-lined route in a popular park is a fitting way to remember Queen Elizabeth II and will create a lasting memorial in Newham that can be enjoyed by all generations.”
Councillor James Asser, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for the Environment and Sustainable Transport, Newham Council
“Marlborough showcased remarkable collaboration – highly adaptable, hands-on and fully committed to ensuring the project’s success.”
Scheherezade Soodeen, Landscape Architect, Newham Council
Tree-lined route
Working with the Butterfly Conservation Trust, Newham Council selected 28 trees to line the memorial pathway, with seven Red Oaks each commemorating a decade of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. 12 Cherry Trees were planted, which will create a magnificent scene when they blossom each spring, and nine Hawthorn Trees were chosen because they will provide a habitat for local wildlife. At the end of the route a single disease-resistant Dutch Elm Tree was placed, demonstrating resilience and strength.
Opening event and plaque unveiling
The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Pathway was officially opened on 15 March 2024, which included the unveiling of a commemorative walkway plaque by the local artist Matt Ponting. During the celebratory event, pupils from the nearby Ellen Wilkinson Primary School joined Councillors and staff from Newham Council’s Parks and Green Spaces Service, as well as members of the Butterfly Conservation Trust.
“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.”
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