A REVOLUTIONARY process which turns building site waste into valuable construction material is already bearing fruit at the new Gloucestershire College site in Cinderford.

Since builders Barnwood Construction laid the foundations for the college in May last year, they have teamed up with ground science specialists, Envirosoil, using a ‘lime stabilisation’ technique.

This process gives previously unusable debris new load bearing properties by dramatically reducing its moisture content, which then acts as an energy and cost saving alternative to transporting waste from the land.

This has prevented more than 23,000 tonnes of waste being taken to landfill, avoided 5,000 journeys by heavy goods vehicles, which has saved almost 57,000 litres of diesel being burned as fuel.

As the build progresses, a number of other sustainability measures have been achieved, including the use of reclaimed aggregates, as well as locally sourced materials, suppliers and sub-contractors.

The £20million purpose-built campus, next to Steam Mills Lake, has been designed by Roberts Limbrick Architects of Gloucester, as an energy efficient, sealed building with environmental control and solar panels.

The new centre for post-16 education will be completed to welcome students in September this year.

Sandra Tyrrell, assistant principal, said: “Environmental sustainability is a key concern for us and much consideration has gone into the environmental impact of every step of the construction of the new campus."