Chester Zoo Case Study
Project: Installation of turf reinforcement mesh to stabilise a grass area for use as ovespill car parking.
Location: Chester Zoo, Chester, England.
Owners: North of England Zoological Society.
Consultants: Bullen Consultants, Stockport.
Contractor: VJ Donegan Civil Engineering, Stockport.
Product: Turf Reinforcement Mesh (61620309 Premium).
Problem: As Chester Zoo is a major visitor attraction in the North West of England, its hard-standing car park is often full at busy times, requiring additional parking space.
Solution: A field next to the zoo covering 150000 square metres would provide the area required for the additional car parking space. However, the volume of traffic meant that the grassed area would need to have drainage and reinforcement mesh installed.
Conclusions: Following the grading of the area and installation of fin drains, Tenax Turf Reinforcement Mesh was laid in 4m wide roadways along the length of the field. Cars were to drive along these roadways then park in the designated areas.
Within weeks, the grass had grown through the mesh with the root mass interlocking with the mesh filaments. This provided a stable surface preventing rutting and damage to the grass roots caused by heavy traffic.
Tenax was chosen over other products and methods because of its simplicity and ease of installation. The consultants recommended Tenax as being the most efficient and cost effective solution to this problem.
For more information about the Tenax range of temporary and permanent ground protection products, call us now for FREE on 0800 3280315.
Laying the mesh
The car park in use

