A Harden Plant - Specialist Excavations

Land reclamation and clearance in Keeston, Pembrokeshire

Kobelco Digger sat on soil loading a dumper

A new client based in Keeston, Haverfordwest had land that was unusuable due to steep gradients and existing land that had been dumped on with soil from tresspassers. The customer required us to move excess piles of excavated subsoil on his agricultural land to a unusable field on another area of the property which has been unable to be used for the last 17 years.

Using our Doosan DX140LCR digger and our JCB Fastrac on hire with a dump trailer. We were able to move the stockpiles of subsoil to the unusable field where the spoilt was then used to fill out the level of the field to a condition that meant it was safe to be used or take machinery. Due to the current nature of said field, the gradients meant the land owner had many limited options to the area of ground and thus, it became dormant for so long.

The spoil was used to not only fill out the levels but also leave a nicer finish to the current ground, which was unsuitable for livestock or for grazing. Once the ground had been landscaped and the remaining spoil was used to add to the new formation of levels and using the excavator, we were able to build up a larger area of the field therefore giving the landowner more land ontop of the existing ground - something he was extremely pleased with and not expecting. This made total business sense to both us and the landowner as we left the ground in a flat, clean condition and spent less time shaping the over burden into something nice on the landscape whilst giving the land owner, a value increase on the land.

Once the levels on the field had been completed and the new ground formed. The client had raised problems he was facing with access across his land from gaps in the headland. His land was being defaced by tresspassers and wished to close up the gaps giving back his privacy. Using overburden from the subsoil moved from the first field via the dump trailer, we were able to create new natural hedgebanks ready for planting to blend in with the existing nature and hedgerows and solving the clients problems.

Once the new field was completely finished and work on the first field gaps had been tidied up with some decorative Landscaping on the field entrance. We worked with the customer to lay new top quality top soil via the digger then on which the Fastrac was used with a harrow to prepare the soil for new grass seed. Straight after the seed was applied via broadcast method the topsoil was then rolled to seal the seed to ensure the seed took to the ground.

As we finished the project. Upon leaving the land we cleaned and filled our marks and ruts left by gaining entry to the field giving a smooth finish for the land owners own tractor. The reclamed land and clearance means he can now utilise both fields for tack for his own livestock.