A severe long term housing shortfall in the UK, despite the current economic downturn, means that local authorities have to plan for continuing growth over the next 20 years.
UK government has announced that 3 million new homes will be built by 2020, an average of 240,000 new homes a year. This is fastest rate of growth since the late 1960s, and we are facing more severe environmental challenges than we were then. The threat of climate change, and a greater understanding of flood risk and the water environment means that we need to plan urban development differently.
Halcrow work with Planning Authorities, the Environment Agency, water companies and developers to ensure that houses are built sustainably, are built in the right place, and that infrastructure is sustainable and climate change proof.
A team you can trust
Halcrow is the UK’s leading supplier of water cycle planning, and have implemented a clear and effective set of processes, intelligently honed through our involvement in over 30 water cycle study commissions, across more than 100 UK local authorities. Our unrivalled pedigree in the field ensures we offer clients and stakeholders excellent future-proofed results in both a timely and cost effective manner.
Experience you can trust
We combine the expertise of our water services, environmental, flood risk, urban design and planning specialists, with the knowledge and skills of a large, multi-disciplinary company. Because of our success and breadth of skills, our clients come back to us time and time again.
Adopting best practice
Working alongside the Environment Agency, Halcrow pioneered the water cycle planning process within the growth areas in the South East and East England identified in the government’s Sustainable Communities Plan. We have recently been working with the Environment Agency to share the best practice gathered to the rest of England, and have run a number of workshops for stakeholders from the North East to the South West of England. Our water cycle study guidance is helping planning authorities plan for water – so that they can meet the growing needs of the future
In tune with your needs
Our specialists are helping to develop government policy and guidance and are leaders in the understanding and implementation of latest thinking and methodologies. Our understanding of the planning process means that we can deliver a cost-effective solution to your project quickly and efficiently.