Development project at Rugby Cottage, Bourton | Ashford Homes Ltd

Clegg were appointed to provide the civil and structural design for a new housing development, consisting of 10 new build houses, garages and civil infrastructure, i.e. highways and drainage.

Challenges

The development was on a steep site, with a pre-existing discharge point for the drainage. This was a public sewer due to a lack of porosity, which presented two challenges.

The first of these was achieving falls across the site to avoid the need to install pumping stations. This was achieved by re-working the site levels whilst ensuring that the existing planning approvals would not be affected. The reworking of these levels also had a knock-on effect on the highway’s design. It became important to avoid steep gradients, along with minimising the requirements for retaining walls.

The second challenge was completing the Section 106 agreement with Wessex Water who were reluctant to allow surface water discharge to their sewer. Through liaison with Wessex Water and the design of the attenuation system consent was granted.

Structurally the site was relatively straightforward, consisting of traditional build houses, with mass concrete footings. Consideration was given to the high plasticity of the soil and adjacent trees. Using a combination of tree root protection and deeper footings a cost-effective solution was designed.

Outcomes

The development was constructed and finished in the middle of 2018.

Added Value

Clegg worked very closely with the developer to ensure that the scheme was viable, both structurally and commercially.