BWB Consulting - Integrated Engineering and Environmental Consultants

Services:

• Civil Engineering
• Drainage Engineering
• Environmental
• Flood Risk Engineering
• Geotechnical
• Traffic and Transportation
• Highways Engineering
• Infrastructure Engineering
• Project Management
• River Modelling

Sectors:

• Education
• Public Realm
• Residential
• Retail
• Transportation and Infrastructure

BWB were appointed by Strawson Property to provide comprehensive environmental and civil engineering services for the redevelopment of the former RAF Swinderby into a new village settlement incorporating approximately 1000 dwellings.

A development of this magnitude had potential to significantly impact upon the hydrology of local watercourses, Internal Drainage Board drains and the River Witham. BWB undertook a comprehensive flood risk assessment that involved hydrological calculations using Flood Estimation Handbook techniques and modelling of 5.5km of drains, watercourses and rivers. The conclusion of this exercise was that surface water run-off from the proposed development would be a significant environmental issue to resolve.

The masterplanning of the development aimed to create a village environment and BWB's advice led to the inclusion of space for sustainable drainage systems in the form of swales, wetlands and ponds. These were subsequently designed by BWB, have been constructed under our supervision and are functioning as intended.

A major obstacle that was overcome in this project was the reluctance of the Water and Highway Authorities to drain their highway and adoptable drainage infrastructure to 'none standard' drainage systems. BWB's effective project management of this scheme, and our success in negotiating with the regulatory authorities led not only to acceptance of the system, but also to securing pubic adoption of the swales and ponds.