Bristol’s Broadmead shopping development has been clad with 12,000m2 of Cadeby limestone split between two precast packages and one hand set package. In order to secure the contract Cadeby had to go head to head against French Anstrude – and they won.

Cadeby Managing Director Lee O’Connor says: “We were determined not to be beaten by an imported stone and this certainly reversed the trend where generally British limestone has found it very difficult to hold its own against imports from France, Spain and Portugal.

“I believe that with Bristol and a number of other recent projects we have demonstrated that British stone can be competitive against other European alternatives and, in fact, we should look to take the fight to the Continent by getting our stones offered for projects outside of the UK. For example, Cadeby is currently being considered for a large project in Qatar.

“I would add that one of the enormous benefits that Cadeby has is that it can be used as an external facade material at 40mm – ie in direct comparison with French, Spanish or Portuguese stone options.

“In 99% of cases a project of this size where the specified stone did not have protection from the planners it would almost certainly have gone foreign. We did not really have protection from the planners and had to fight it out on a visual, technical and commercial basis.”

Another prestigious use of Cadeby has been at Southampton Row, where the package included pre-tensioned solid stone columns produced at Cadeby masonry works.