Bio-Manchester Bollards Installed at Norton Barracks
Breaking New Ground: Bio-Manchester Bollards at Norton Barracks
We’ve just wrapped up something we’re genuinely proud of—a landmark project at Norton Barracks and the neighbouring Norton Cricket Ground, right here in Worcester. What makes it so special? It was the first-ever installation of our Bio-Manchester bollards using our retention socket foundation—a new system we developed specifically for this job.
The project has a real sense of place. Norton Barracks is a beautiful and historic site, once home to the Worcestershire Regiment, and now home to a mix of private residences and shared community space. The Officers’ Mess is still standing, full of character, and Norton Cricket Club is very much alive and well, adding to the local pride.
The site managers had a very specific brief: keep vehicles out of pedestrian zones but make sure they could still get access quickly when needed. We knew right away that a standard bollard wouldn’t cut it.
So, we went back to the drawing board. Our Bio-Manchester bollard had already proven itself in terms of durability and sustainability, but it had never been used with a new foundation system like our retention socket.
The result? A fresh new mould and a whole new way of installing bollards that’s faster, safer, and more flexible.
“The idea had been on the table for a while,” says Suzanne Day, our MD. “But this project was right on my doorstep—and that made it all the more rewarding. The collaboration with the site team was excellent, and the end result looks fantastic. I’m so proud of what the TMP team delivered.”
The bollards are made from a plant-based bio-polymer, giving them a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional cast iron—and they’re much lighter too, which makes a big difference for installation and manual handling. No need for heavy lifting gear—just drop them in and they’re ready to go.
They’re also finished in black with red and gold bands, which match the colours of the old regiment. That might sound like a small detail, but for a site with such strong heritage, it really matters. They blend beautifully with the setting, and now that they’re in place, they look like they’ve always belonged there.
“We didn’t just supply a product—we developed a new one to meet the exact needs of the site. That’s what TMP’s all about.”
But the real game-changer here is our new retention socket foundation.
It requires 57.81% less excavation than our LockSafe base, which means a smaller hole, less disruption to the site, and a faster turnaround overall.
It’s perfect not just for public pavements, where our street bollard range usually lives, but also for private spaces like sports complexes, residential developments, golf clubs and car parks.
Each bollard can be removed or installed in under 60 seconds, with no specialist tools required. When the bollard’s not in use, a flush-fitting blanking plate covers the socket, eliminating any trip hazard.
This project shows what we can do when we listen, collaborate, and innovate.
If you’ve got a site that needs smart, removable, sustainable access control, we’d love to help you find the right fit – just like we did here.
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