Marley Roof System installed at Chidham Primary School

Specifying new roofing for the school

Having previously worked with Marley, AtkinsRéalis brought the manufacturer into the project during the specification stage and used Marley’s SpecRite specification tool to develop the specification.

The specification included Marley’s Acme Single Clay Plain in Aylesham Mix.
With their simple, traditional appearance, the tiles complemented the local vernacular, while providing modern performance and versatility.

The specification also required specially manufactured cloak verge tiles, and Marley provided samples for review as part of the specification process.

With roofing works restricted to the summer holiday period, the project had a strict completion date. Alistair worked closely with the Marley production team at Keele, as well as the merchant and contractor, to manage the manufacture and supply of the required components. This helped ensure products were available on time as the project progressed.

Adapting the roofing specification for a bat-friendly design

Due to the presence of bats in the area, a bat survey was carried out during the planning stages. This resulted in several amendments to the original specification.

To support the assessment, Alistair provided the bat team with detailed information about the various roofing components being used.

“Once the bat survey requirements became clear, we needed to make sure that every part of the roof specification was bat-friendly,” says Alistair.

“The roofing system, including RidgeFast, was deemed safe for the bats, and we could proceed with the revised specification and keep the project on schedule,” Alistair adds.

Ensuring modern roof performance while preserving local character

Chidham Primary School has a long history within the local community, so the character of the traditional clay-tiled roof needed to be maintained. As part of this, the original crested ridge tiles had to be carefully removed and reused, rather than being replaced with new tiles.

However, the existing tiles were thicker than Marley’s standard crested ridge tiles, meaning that Marley’s standard fixing brackets were not suitable.

Alistair helped the team source alternative fixing brackets to accommodate the dimensions of the original tiles, allowing them to be reused as required.

High-level ventilation was also incorporated into the roof using in-line tile vents, in accordance with BS 5250:2021, the code of practice for the management of moisture in buildings. The vents were specially manufactured at the Marley factory.

“The Marley production team at Keele provided an extremely quick turnaround for these tiles, helping to keep the project on track,” Alistair adds.

Completing a complex re-roofing project

The Chidham Primary School project demonstrates how a roofing specification can evolve when an existing building has additional environmental, planning and scheduling constraints.

Dan Walster, Assistant Building Surveyor at AtkinsRéalis, comments: “This project presented a number of unique challenges in balancing the need to deliver a fully compliant, modern roofing system with the need to preserve the character of the school and meet ecological requirements associated with the presence of bats. As the specification developed, it was essential to adapt the roofing design to satisfy both planning conditions and bat survey recommendations, while maintaining programme certainty within the limited summer holiday construction window.”

Throughout the project, Marley provided technical input and specification support. Alistair also remained in close contact with the production team, ensuring that bespoke components were manufactured and delivered in time for installation.

Dan adds: “Marley provided valuable technical support throughout, helping us refine the specification, assess the suitability of roofing components and develop practical solutions for the retention of the existing crested ridge tiles. Their responsiveness and ability to provide bespoke products and technical information at key stages were instrumental in helping the project progress smoothly and achieve a successful outcome.”

The result was a new, mortar-free roof that incorporated a bat-friendly design and high-level ventilation while retaining the charm of the original crested ridge tiles.

“It was important to keep in regular contact with all the different teams throughout the project,” Alistair says. “We had a tight window to manufacture and supply the bespoke components in time for the summer holiday works, but everything came together, and I was very pleased with how the finished roof turned out. We’ve also had positive feedback from the other teams.”

To learn more about Marley’s complete Roof System, discuss your next roofing project or request technical support for a specification, please contact Marley today.