The Ultrascape mortar paving system has helped to restore the historic connection between Salford and Manchester. 

The Greengate public realm development is situated on the footprint of the former bus station next to the now redundant Exchange railway station in Salford.  The scheme was completed by Carillion Civil Engineering on behalf of Salford City Council.  It is the first scheme as part of the regeneration of the long-neglected area.

The engineering works included a new footbridge, a water feature and stainless steel sculptures.  The bridge completes the connection in the exact location of the former ford from where Salford got its name.  The large area links the end of Deansgate, Manchester to the new residential, retail and business area soon to be constructed by Ask Developments.   

The underfoot improvements were made using Pro-Bed HS bedding mortar in bulk, Pro-Prime slurry primer and Flowpoint ECO flowable grout.  Making up Ultrascape’s renowned mortar paving  system, the three products are proven to be BS 7533 compliant under UKAS testing methods. This British Standard promotes professional results that give a minimum construction life of 40 years.  What’s more, when using the system the paving can be opened to traffic 4 hours after grouting.

Ideally suited to the cost-effective and fast-track requirements of today’s public realm schemes, Pro-bed HS in bulk offers all the benefits of bagged bedding mortar but in a 30 tonne silo.  The product is shrinkage compensated, pre-blended and can be laid from 10-75mm in one pass.

Ultrascape Pro-Prime is a polymer modified cementitious slurry primer specifically formulated to provide exceptional bond between all types of stone surfaces and the bedding mortar.  In recent years BS 7533 has been modified, stipulating a bond strength requirement of greater than 2N/mm², double the previous and only achieved by using a priming agent.  This emphasises the importance of its use in addition to a bedding mortar.

Ultrascape Flowpoint ECO is a rapid setting flowable grout containing recycled glass, reducing the amount of virgin aggregate used, and making it ideal for schemes looking to achieve an ‘excellent’ CEEQUAL award.

Fast and efficient to apply using a ‘pour on, wash off’ method, Flowpoint ECO can accommodate joint widths of 5-50mm and depths of up to 200mm in a single pass.  It is just as equally suited to irregular granite setts as it is to large profile stone paving. 

For more information on Ultrascape’s mortar paving system and complimentary products, please call 01827 871871 or email: ultrascape@instarmac.co.uk.