news

We are very pleased to report our ongoing appointment to provide infrastructure design services for the consortium developing Broadnook. Following the resolution to grant in March 2020, work is progressing on delivery. We have begun the site wide earthworks strategy, with detail in the areas where the first phases will be built. We are designing the roads and drainage for the first housing phases for Davidsons Homes and Barwood Homes that have full consent. We are designing the connecting roads that link these first phases back to the access works. We are designing those S278 access works – the new signal controlled A6 roundabout, and internal roundabout with realigned Loughborough Road. And, we are designing the mitigation scheme at Rothley Crossroads that is required prior to first occupation. There is a lot of complex and exciting work to be done.

In December 2019 we reported the consent granted to the new joint headquarters for Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service. Henry Brothers Midlands have won the contract to construct the £18.5m development. Work is expected to start this month and be complete by the end of 2021. YMD Boon are the architect, Gleeds are providing project management, cost consultancy and M&E services, and HWA are advising on civil and structural engineering.

A development of only two dwellings, but the devil is always in the detail. The shared private driveway at Grange Close in Teversal (NG17 3JN) serves three dwellings. An application for it to serve another two was refused by Ashfield District Council, because of an objection by Nottinghamshire County Council. They were concerned that the driveway had restricted visibility and inadequate width to allow two vehicles to pass each other at the entrance, causing vehicles to wait on the main road (Pleasley Road). They concluded that this would lead to danger and create accidents.

The applicant appealed that decision, which we supported with highways advice. We analysed the specific local circumstances, looking at traffic volumes and speeds, achievable visibility, the accident record, and other matters. We concluded that while the geometries were below current standards, they would not create an unacceptable impact on highway safety. We are very pleased to report the Planning Inspector agreed (APP/W3005/W/20/3247780).

Following on from our blog post of 2 March 2020, we have continued to advise Segro with regard to the ongoing development of their East Midlands Gateway site.  Most recently we prepared the Transport Assessment that supported the detailed planning application for Plot 12 at the site.  The unit, that includes a 669,608 sqft distribution warehouse, a 20,000 sqft main office, 5,000 sqft transport hub, and additional mezzanine levels, along with 472 car parking spaces, was granted planning permission by North West Leicestershire District Council’s planning committee at a virtual meeting on 4 August 2020.  The proposals were outside the limits of the Development Consent Order for the site, which resulted in the need for the full planning application.  The scheme will bring further employment opportunities to the area that will help with boosting the economy at this critical time as we emerge from lockdown.

We are pleased to announce that Tungsten Properties’ Union Park industrial site on Grovebury Road in Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, received planning permission last month.  The scheme comprises the demolition of the existing outdated industrial units that will be replaced with eight new commercial units totalling 163,940sqft, with flexible planning permission for B1c, B2 and B8 use class.  The planning application was supported by our Transport Assessment and Travel Plan.   A key part of that work was our advice on access, layout and parking.  We are now commissioned to undertake the S278 highway works along the Grovebury Road Spur that will provide access to the development.  Demolition works are expected to start in August 2020 with the units due to be available from Q2 2021.

A full application for 68 dwellings has been submitted by Strata Homes to Charnwood Borough Council for a site on Iveshead Road in Shepshed. The application is supported by our Transport Statement, as we continue a line of assessment that began in 2013 for Rosconn and has continued through an allowed appeal and subsequent applications by Strata. Fingers crossed that this time the application will be granted and the home built.

We are delighted to share the news that ADC Infrastructure has again been nominated for the Insider’s ‘Client Advisor of the Year’ award.

We were delighted to take home the trophy in 2018, and have our fingers and toes crossed that we can bring it home again this year.

The East Midlands Property Dinner is scheduled to take place on 5 November 2020, so watch this space!

Before and after pictures taken by AFS Earthmoving and Aggregates of the groundworks they have completed for Harworth Group at the Hugglescote Grange site in Coalville. The works begin to deliver our design of the enabling infrastructure south of Grange Road.

In 2014 we supported an outline planning application at Thornton in Leicestershire by J H Hallam & Son Ltd for a development of 49 dwellings. Despite a recommendation for approval it was refused at planning committee in March 2015 because of housing need. An appeal against that application was submitted and while it was progressing a second planning application was submitted. Again the application was recommended for approval, but refused by Councillors at committee in June 2016. The appeal was withdrawn in February 2017.

J H Hallam have now linked up with Barwood Homes to submit a detailed application. We have again supported the application with a Transport Statement, and Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy. The most challenging aspect of the scheme is its gradients. There is a steep drop from the north of the site and we have prepared 3D designs of the highway layout to ensure that adoptable gradients can be achieved and retaining walls have been optimised. These were previously acceptable by Leicestershire County Council, who had no objections, and we are hoping on the same result third time round. BHB Architects layout below.