Projects

Transforming Haulbowline Island East Tip into a Public Park

Tetra Tech delivered remediation and transformation of the East Tip on Haulbowline Island—a 22-acre former industrial waste area in Cork Harbour—into a public recreational park.

Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour was the location of Ireland’s only steelworks which operated between 1939 and 2001. From the early 1960s, steel slag waste from the steel production process was deposited on an area of reclaimed foreshore, which became known as the ‘East Tip’. This project involved the remediation of the East Tip and its transformation into a public recreational amenity.

Tetra Tech, appointed by Cork County Council, delivered innovative and sustainable solutions at each stage of this complex project, from inception to conclusion. Initial stages included the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS), waste license, and planning applications for the remediation work. Tetra Tech managed a number of advance works contracts, the procurement process and construction stages of the main remediation works.

Challenge

The remediation works on the East Tip posed significant contractual, environmental, health and safety risks, in addition to strict conditions set out by the EPA Waste Licence. The nature of the waste material, the existing landform on site, along with the marine location and foreshore tidal zone presented a number of complex challenges.

Site investigations had identified evidence of asbestos on site as well as other hazardous waste in the slag waste. In addition, there was uncertainty regarding the processing of the large slag stockpiles on site. The ground conditions, a soft marine alluvium below concrete-like slag deposits, had to be managed to ensure the constructability of the perimeter structure in the foreshore.

The key challenges were to deliver an innovative design solution which addressed the remediation objectives and to manage the significant contractual risks.

Solution

An NEC Option C (Target Cost with Activity Schedule) contract was utilised on this project. This facilitated greater collaboration with the contractor and the allocation of the financial risks associated with these elements of the works more evenly between the Employer and Contractor.

Tetra Tech supported Cork County Council by delivering:

Appropriate Assessment Stage 2 Natura Impact Statement (NIS)
Management of environmental surveys and site investigations
Development of procurement strategy and management process
Development of remediation strategy and design
Geotechnical services
3D DTM modelling of land form and geotechnical data from foreshore
Design of access road
Landscaping plan and amenity park design
Metals recovery strategy
Asbestos sampling and development of management plan
Development of Outline Construction Environmental Management Plan
Development of bespoke Outline Occupational Health Monitoring System
Developing documents to facilitate re-use of steel slag
Managing compliance with EPA waste licence including annual environmental reporting
Development of communications plan
Management of construction phase
Commercial reporting

					Benefits				

									650,000m³ volume of slag and other waste material capped
830m length of perimeter engineered structure constructed in the foreshore
950m length of silt curtain in Cork Harbour waters around the works area
350 tonnes of ferrous metal recovered
								

At a glance

Client

Cork County Council

Location

Cork Harbour, Co. Cork, Ireland

Services

3D digital terrain modelling, appropriate assessment stage 2 natura impact statement (NIS), asbestos sampling and development of management plan, coastal modelling, development of bespoke outline occupational health monitoring system for this contaminated site, development of communications plan, development of outline construction environmental management plan, EIS, geotechnical services, hazardous waste classification, management of construction phase, metals recovery strategy, outline remediation design, planning application, public consultation, waste licence application

The project featured in this article was undertaken by RPS, A Tetra Tech Company and originally published on RPSgroup.com. In March 2026 RPS rebranded to Tetra Tech.