Residential Infrastructure and Groundworks Delivery

Consortium development of 600 homes with 3 house-builders at Wootton

Wootton Park Residential Infrastructure

Residential Infrastructure

  • Client:

    Taylor Wimpey / Bellway / Bovis

  • Engineer:

    Woods Hardwick

  • Location:

    Wootton Park by Wootton, Bedfordshire

  • Sector:

    Housing

  • Project Value:

    £28 million

Services:

Groundworks Bulk Excavations Highways and Infrastructure

Project Scope

  • £600k off-site S278 works
  • £5m on-site roads, drainage and attenuation
  • 27,500m2 of carriageways
  • 12.5km of storm and foul drainage
  • 35,000m3 of excavation for attenuation ponds and ditches
  • 75 pre-cast and in-situ headwalls
  • 2 in-situ weir walls
  • 14 belisha beacons
  • Construction of 2 sub-stations including all superstructure
  • Groundworks for 600 houses

Project Overview

We were approached as a self-delivery infrastructure provider by a consortium of Bovis, Bellway and Taylor Wimpey to work as a single civil engineering contractor on a 600 homes development south of the village of Wootton. The partners planned to start the build of 200 units each simultaneously upon the completion of the required enabling, infrastructure and groundworks. Planning, logistics and scheduling were crucial for a timely delivery.

The development benefits from easy connection to both the M1 and A1. We implemented a roundabout on Fields Road and various access points to Cranfield road, and connected the development via a spine road, the Burgoyne Avenue, to facilitate access. Cycle and footpaths were installed and the roads were widened in anticipation of the additional traffic and resurfaced. The off-site S278 works were completed under traffic management and proceeded without incident.

The site required a detailed earthworks strategy for foul and storm drainage systems. The original ditches we remodelled, re-routed or removed and connected by a new ditch network. Excavations of 35,000m3 were needed, along with the installation of 75 precast in-situ headwalls before connecting to the strategic storm network. A large amount of off-site work was needed to connect the comprehensive foul network to the main. We pipejacked under a playing field, managing live HG cables to complete the installation and proceeded with the groundworks within 6 weeks.

Project Challenges

Wootton is a large development with complex infrastructure. The most challenging part of this project was to ensure that the needs of the three clients were met. Our site and commercial teams worked closely with all three consortium partners and local authorities, providing a fully resourced day to day programme of works which, in turn, brought transparency to the project and enabled the partners to plan and proceed with the superstructure works efficiently. We managed the complex and large site to ensure all works were synchronised and deliveries used hold points to ensure efficiency. The plant and work traffic movements were planned to provide a safe, controlled and efficient site to work on.

Project Outcome

Our meticulous planning and ability to absorb and deal with unforeseen events, facilitated the successful delivery of each segment of the development on time and defect free, enabling the various trades to proceed promptly. Whilst works are ongoing on the live site, these continue to plan and without incident. Our reputation for reliability, flexibility and the ability to collaborate well with partners and contractors was strengthened by this project and as a result they were awarded all follow-on infrastructure and groundworks contracts for the development by the consortium.
ECL interfaced very well with all parties involved in the project. They planned every detail and delivered according to the plan, making cooperation on site easy and efficient

Neil Laws, Senior Project Manager at Concept Project Management (Consultants) Ltd

Highways and Infrastructure Wooton two
Civil Engineers
Pedestrian Wallkway and Road Construction
Highways and Infrastructure Wooton three

Find out more about the full range of Civil Engineering Services we offer or click on one of the following services below for more information:-

Bulk Excavations
Enabling Works
Remediation & Stabilisation
Highways
Groundworks
Civil Engineering & Infrastructure

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