The new £5 million Sherwood Forest visitor centre in Nottinghamshire has been supported by Aggregate Industries' coloured asphalt solution.

Developed by an RSPB-led consortium and Nottinghamshire County Council, the project includes flagship facilities such as a shop, a café with an outside terrace, an amphitheatre as well as a play area for children.

The Edwinstowe centre, which opened at the end of August 2018, provides information on the area's rich wildlife and woodland as well information on the Robin Hood legend.

Contractors Woodhead Construction and RN Surfacing were required to source asphalt to complement the resin bond golden gravel used on the rest of the site. They selected Aggregate Industries' SuperColour Ultra.


The Aggregate Industries solution is a range of distinctly coloured asphalts, which uses a translucent penetration grade, resinous hydrocarbon binder. The special binder is readily pigmented and provides a wide range of asphalt colours.

Overall, Aggregate Industries supplied 60 tonnes of SuperColour Ultra in natural colour.

Victoria Smith, general manager of Express Asphalt at Aggregate Industries, said: "As an area of outstanding beauty, it was important for the new visitor centre at Sherwood Forest Country Park to be in keeping with the natural surroundings, including the materials used for landscaping and surfacing. With a selection of high performance asphalt materials at our disposal, including different colours and performance properties, we're delighted our bespoke SuperColour Ultra succeeded in achieving the naturally appealing look and superior performance the client was after."

Amy Stamford, Quantity Surveyor at Woodhead Group, added: "Due to the high profile nature of this project, it was vital for us to work with a supplier offering innovative asphalt solutions, with extensive colour and performance capabilities. I'd like to thank Aggregate Industries for delivering a first class service throughout - by providing us with bespoke samples of their natural coloured asphalts, we were able to practically test out and decide on the best possible solution to help us meet the client's unique aesthetic brief."

(CM)