ERGO were commissioned to complete the Remediation Strategy, Materials Management Plan and Verification/ Validation for a mixed-use commercial development in Hexham.
Mixed use Commercial Development in Northumberland
Project Overview
Site Background
The site was disused prior to development and bound on all sides with existing developments, and included a steeply sloped entrance track.
Historically the site was occupied by a depot (cold store) and railway sidings on the wider site, along with a collection of smaller ancillary buildings. In the 1980’s, the main depot building was converted to a Government Nuclear Bunker. The north west of the site was utilised as a scrap yard. In the following year, the buildings were demolished and recent mapping identified several spoil heaps/mounds and a large depression was found in the centre of the site at the former
Site Works
Made Ground and shallow groundwater were present on site, which required further investigation to finalise the foundation design. ERGO met with specialist foundation contractors onsite and completed trial pits to record soil types and groundwater levels to determine the most suitable foundations for the large supermarket, hotel and fast-food outlet.
ERGO provided comprehensive supervision of the Geoenvironmental and Geotechnical aspects during remediation and enabling works, ensuring that the remediation contractor adhered to the approved strategy. ERGO also facilitated the CL:AIRE Materials Management Plan for reuse of site won materials and the importation of clean materials for landscaped areas. Following the main construction elements, ERGO also validated the soils placed as clean cover in landscaped areas.
Validation reports were completed by ERGO to enable discharge of the relevant planning conditions on the development, separated out for each individual developer.
Key Issues and Solutions
Several challenges were overcome to complete the development, such as numerous buried obstructions, the presence of shallow groundwater, asbestos-affected soil, and significant cut and fill of the site to achieve the required development levels owing to the required flood protection measures. Through implementation of a detailed Remediation and Enabling Works Strategy, with close liaison with the contractor, specialists and the client and regulators, the site was delivered within both the program and budget.
