Halcrow has had a long-standing involvement in the development of Rochester Riverside, one of the largest and most challenging brownfield developments in the Thames Gateway.
SEEDA and Medway Council are leading the regeneration of the 32ha site on the edge of Rochester on the River Medway, with the aim of creating a sustainable, mixed-use community comprising around 1,800 homes, a hotel, primary school, community facilities and employment opportunities.
The site has been successfully transformed from a largely disused, contaminated, brownfield site into an area ready for development in partnership with the private sector.
Halcrow was commissioned to provide site investigation consultancy services, then retained to develop remediation and flood risk strategies. Following that, we led the detailed planning application for preparatory engineering works and the outline application for the development scheme.
During our time on the project, we have undertaken topographic, bathymetric, structural, CoSHH, asbestos, archaeological and ecological surveys, and provided preliminary cost advice and spend profiles to help the client to obtain central government funding.
We also provided advice on programme, risk and procurement strategy, and produced all the tender documents for demolition and the main preparatory engineering works, consisting of replacement river walls, ground, land raising and groundwater remediation and geotechnical ground improvements. Involvement continued through the procurement process and contractor appointment.
We subsequently acted as the client's site representative during construction of the £35 million engineering works – which were delivered on time and to budget.
The remediation works have received a number of industry awards, including the 2007 Brownfield Briefing Remediation – Innovation Award for ‘Best Combined System’ and winner of the Regeneration Project category at the 2008 ICE Thomas Brassey Awards.