Preparing a former gasworks site for redevelopment
Comprehensive geotechnical work on three-acre former gasworks site with listed buildings to prepare for new housing and retail development.
Our geotechnical team completed a comprehensive site investigation and materials management plan to enable the development of 70 modular homes and a new Aldi supermarket on a former gasworks site in Kent.
Commissioned by Blueberry Development Estates, this project showcases the full skillset of our team from pre-planning advice to discussions with the regulator to help achieve planning, full geotechnical design, materials management and works verification.
The three-acre site is complex, housing two decommissioned former gas holders and a Grade II listed former office and depot which is being converted into apartments.
Work started in 2017 with a full three-stage contaminated land assessment including a detailed quantitative risk assessment.
We subsequently developed a remediation plan based on the site investigation work to submit to the council as part of the planning application. We then oversaw the remediation work and completed a verification report.
Once planning was achieved, our team drew up the geotechnical design and earthwork specification and as a result were able to devise a more cost-efficient solution to foundation works using pad foundations rather than piling.
The gasholders on site are 11 metres deep so we carried out additional analysis to ensure there was no differential settlement when they were filled.
Our final phase of work was a materials management plan in line with the Definition of Waste Code of Practice (DoWCoP) managed by CL:AIRE.
Completion of enablement works and sign off by the Environment Agency was achieved in early 2021 allowing work on the supermarket and homes to begin.
Our structural engineering team was commissioned to work on foundation designs.
Image courtesy of Blueberry Development Estates
