Oakbee, Beach Staircase and Bridge Project
UK South coast clifftop & beach at downderry, cornwall
When two neighbouring clients approached Metal Wizards with a vision—to connect their clifftop gardens to a shared beachfront terrace—they ignited one of our most ambitious and logistically complex undertakings to date. The challenge: design and build a “structurally independent” spiral staircase with a connecting access bridge, as well as dual beach-facing staircases, on an eroding cliff face with no road access, no heavy lifting gear, and only a 6-hour daily tide and weather window.
Engineering Challenges & Solutions
• Remote Coastal Access: With the nearest vehicle access half a mile away along a narrow slipway for boats, every piece—large or small—had to be delivered on 3.5T Dropside vehicles and transported across the beach using excavators and telehandlers provided by C-Shore Limited, all time constrained by the incoming tide.
• Geological Instability: The cliff is officially recorded by the UK Geological Survey as extremely vulnerable to collapse—a threat that became reality when 200 tonnes of neighbouring cliff fell away during construction of this project. Our engineers designed a completely self-supporting structure that would remain stable even if the cliff were to give way.
• Weather & Tide: The location offered an extremely limited window for work due to exposure to adverse weather conditions and limited daylight working hours because of the tide times. Our team; trained in steel erection and working at height overcame the extreme conditions, working methodically in phases supported by a scaffolding tower and a specialist scaffold-mounted crane.
Engineering Challenges & Solutions
• Remote Coastal Access: With the nearest vehicle access half a mile away along a narrow slipway for boats, every piece—large or small—had to be delivered on 3.5T Dropside vehicles and transported across the beach using excavators and telehandlers provided by C-Shore Limited, all time constrained by the incoming tide.
• Geological Instability: The cliff is officially recorded by the UK Geological Survey as extremely vulnerable to collapse—a threat that became reality when 200 tonnes of neighbouring cliff fell away during construction of this project. Our engineers designed a completely self-supporting structure that would remain stable even if the cliff were to give way.
• Weather & Tide: The location offered an extremely limited window for work due to exposure to adverse weather conditions and limited daylight working hours because of the tide times. Our team; trained in steel erection and working at height overcame the extreme conditions, working methodically in phases supported by a scaffolding tower and a specialist scaffold-mounted crane.
Galvanizing Excellence
Given the aggressive saltwater environment, every structural element required a very high-standard of galvanizing. Our long-standing partners rose to the challenge:
• Joseph Ash Telford: Handled the galvanizing of large superstructure foundations in their large bath.
• Joseph Ash Walsall: Managed smaller components, risers, platforms and balustrades.
• Stoke Galvanizing: Completed final-stage elements like ramps, gates, and secondary structures with superb finish and precision.
Given the aggressive saltwater environment, every structural element required a very high-standard of galvanizing. Our long-standing partners rose to the challenge:
• Joseph Ash Telford: Handled the galvanizing of large superstructure foundations in their large bath.
• Joseph Ash Walsall: Managed smaller components, risers, platforms and balustrades.
• Stoke Galvanizing: Completed final-stage elements like ramps, gates, and secondary structures with superb finish and precision.
Construction Highlights
• Main Spiral Staircase: Rising over 17 metres from the beach, constructed around dual internal columns encased by spiral risers. Each tread interlocked with balustrade segments to form a unified, load-bearing helix. The steel sub-frame was bolted to the 14m3 of reinforced concrete slab and backfilled with ballast to form a solid foundation for the main spiral and D-sections supports to be mounted to.
• “D-Section” Superstructure: Provided critical additional support and anchored the 10m access bridge and 8m anchored garden platforms.
• Access Bridge: With no cranes available at the cliff top, the structural sections were hand-carried to the edge and cantilevered across the 17m drop. Scaffolding Ingenuity, ropework with muscle and team spirit made the impossible achievable.
• Direct Beach Access Stairs: Flanking staircases provided dual safe access points directly to the beach from the sea wall terraced area.
• Main Spiral Staircase: Rising over 17 metres from the beach, constructed around dual internal columns encased by spiral risers. Each tread interlocked with balustrade segments to form a unified, load-bearing helix. The steel sub-frame was bolted to the 14m3 of reinforced concrete slab and backfilled with ballast to form a solid foundation for the main spiral and D-sections supports to be mounted to.
• “D-Section” Superstructure: Provided critical additional support and anchored the 10m access bridge and 8m anchored garden platforms.
• Access Bridge: With no cranes available at the cliff top, the structural sections were hand-carried to the edge and cantilevered across the 17m drop. Scaffolding Ingenuity, ropework with muscle and team spirit made the impossible achievable.
• Direct Beach Access Stairs: Flanking staircases provided dual safe access points directly to the beach from the sea wall terraced area.
The finishing touch of galvanized posts and rope created the final look to encase the terrace.
Outcome & Legacy
After 9 months of grit, precision, and team effort, the clients gained seamless access to their beachfront terrace. With structural integrity ensured by robust galvanizing and ingenious engineering, the staircase and bridge now stand as a beacon of what’s possible with collaboration, innovation, and galvanized steel. The project ended with the scaffolding coming down—and a well-earned case of beer shared on the sands below.
Photographs © Metal Wizards Ltd
After 9 months of grit, precision, and team effort, the clients gained seamless access to their beachfront terrace. With structural integrity ensured by robust galvanizing and ingenious engineering, the staircase and bridge now stand as a beacon of what’s possible with collaboration, innovation, and galvanized steel. The project ended with the scaffolding coming down—and a well-earned case of beer shared on the sands below.
Photographs © Metal Wizards Ltd