Client: Isle of Wight Council
Type of works: Natratex specified for surfacing of pedestrian walkway.

The Isle of Wight Council has recently specified Natratex for the surfacing of a pedestrian walkway at Sandown Bay on the island.

Following a fatal accident at the bay, the local authority decided to construct a vehicle restraint barrier and pedestrian parapet in the car park, with a 3m wide walkway leading to the beach. Sandown Bay is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, making the aesthetics of the development and pathway very important. Alan Ransom, Senior Engineer at the Isle of Wight Council explained, “We wanted a natural looking surface that would be hardwearing but also suitable for a beach location with children running around barefoot, and we found that some surfaces were too coarse and sharp for this purpose.”

Natratex uses a specially formulated clear binder to form a fully bonded natural aggregate wearing course that is long lasting and low maintenance. The finished surface is smooth and has the soft appearance of natural stone. Because of these properties, Natratex was selected for the surfacing of the walkway. Commenting on Natratex, Alan Ransom said, “The Natratex product by Bituchem fulfilled our specification for a natural looking product with a smooth, attractive finish. As a resin-bonded surface, it gives the added benefit of a longer lifespan than traditional surface courses, thus providing long term savings.”

Natratex is a hot applied process with a similar manufacture and application method to that of traditional macadams, and can be applied in nearly all weather conditions. The Sandown Bay project was completed in January 2008 with organisers delighted with the end result. “Natratex blends with the coastline and overall natural look of the area whilst providing a high-quality surface. The material has been a welcome addition to our selection list and will definitely be used for future projects on the Isle of Wight”, added Alan Ransom.