KEY FACTS

CLIENT

Henry Boot Developments

SIZE

17.4 HA

BUILD TYPE

New Build

SERVICES PROVIDED

Acoustics - Noise - Vibration
Air Quality Surveys and Assessments
Civil Engineering
Desk Studies and Engineering Appraisals
Drainage Strategies
Earthworks
Ecology Surveys and Assessments
Foundation Design
Geotechnical Engineering
Ground Investigation
Mining Risk Assessments
Project Management and Procurement
Remediation and Land Quality Management
Retaining Structures
River and Coastal Management
Settlement Analysis
Slope Stability
Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS)
Topographical Surveying
Transport Assessment

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BWB's involvement in this 44-acre urban regeneration project commenced when we were appointed by Henry Boot Developments Ltd to act as their Consulting Engineer. The development is located west of Walsall town centre, immediately east and west of the M6 between Junctions 9 and 10.

BWB were employed to assist with completing planning submission documents, undertaking an extensive ground investigation and completing proposals for the design of the enabling works for the Phoenix 10 development. Further to the ground investigation, BWB managed the investigation of the Canals and Rivers Trust asset, Walsall Canal, which ran through the south of the site. This entailed working within an F10 Notifiable Project, within CRTs permitting process and engaging with a range of third party stakeholders such as Homes England.

Following submission of the above design proposals, BWB were employed to appraise contractor submissions relating to the design and build of the final development solution.

Key Challenges

The site has historically been utilised for coal mining and ironstone workings, with shafts, spoil heaps and potential bell pits all indicated on available mapping. A brickworks was constructed in the early 1900s, which was redeveloped in the 1930s in to a number of works units, including a Copper Works. The M6 motorway was constructed during the 1960s. The Alumwell area of the site, in the north of the site, was previously a local authority landfill. West of the M6 was a former storage lagoon associated with the industrial processes IMI utilised on site until 1999.

BWB provided a number of value engineering options in relation to enabling works and infrastructure including site remediation, earthworks, and mineshaft/workings treatment to enable the client to develop the site.

BWB ensured that of a general cut and fill balance of materials on-site, of a total of some 735,200 m3 excavated material only 9,600m of material was disposed of off-site. The reason for this limited disposal is that following a complex regime of materials testing and careful assessment of the landfill materials, 8% of the materials could not be reused in the earthworks due to their contaminated status.

Due to the complex history and stakeholder agreements associated with the IMI site, excavation within this area was limited. However, to address contamination pathways and enable development of this plot BWB assessed and produced a range of retaining wall solutions that worked with respect to the remediation solution and was agreed with third party stakeholders including the Environment Agency, Canals and Rivers Trust and Homes England.

KEY CONTACTS