A MULTI-million pound project linking Barrow to Walney wind farm has been completed.

Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK designed and built the £4.2m heliport base, which will enable helicopters to transport technicians to and from the Walney Extension offshore wind farm project.

Walney Extension became the world’s largest offshore wind farm when it officially opened earlier last year. The project, led by a global leader in offshore wind Ørsted, is capable of providing clean electricity to almost 600,000 UK homes.

Garod Evans, contracts director at Jones Bros, said: “Working collaboratively with Ørsted, we delivered this project from conceptual design stage through detailed design and onto construction. Our early involvement allowed us to work with Ørsted to design out risks and deliver the project within budget.

“The project presented some challenges with operational aircraft using the recently completed adjacent helipad during the construction of the hanger building."

The two-phase project began in May 2018 with the construction of infrastructure services, structural foundations and hardstandings with the supply and installation of welfare facilities for the operation team, storage and fuelling system for aviation fuel and aviation lighting system.

The second stage, from January to August this year, involved the construction and installation of additional infrastructure services, extended car parking facilities and taxi ways and the building of the main hanger where the helicopter will be stored.