Have you ever had a development site stuck in the planning system, with seemingly no way out?
This is the case of a Hertfordshire warehouse development that had been refused planning permission, failed at appeal, yet eventually did get the go ahead for development.
The site was controversial for many reasons, including concern about the effect of piling on public water supply boreholes. Concerns included grouting of fractures in the Chalk aquifer, creation and transport of turbidity in the Chalk aquifer, and the potential for naturally occurring manganese in overlying superficial deposits to impact water quality in the Chalk aquifer and ultimately the public water supply. Additionally, there were concerns from residents that a local nature amenity site was at risk from the piling proposals.
H Fraser Consulting was instructed to engage with the local Water Company, who owned the boreholes, and develop a strategy to address the concerns. A period of baseline monitoring included groundwater monitoring from paired boreholes, surface water and rainfall monitoring, with telemetry providing real-time data for groundwater levels and quality parameters including turbidity.
The resulting high quality dataset enabled the development of a robust hydrogeological conceptual model and quantitative assessment. This in turn supported the development of a piling design that appropriately mitigated potential risks to the aquifers, public water supply and nature site. A second planning application was taken to appeal for non determination, and planning permission granted.
Sometimes technical challenges seem insurmountable, but often the right approach and proactive engagement with these issues can help unlock development sites.
Our team is great with groundwater issues, land quality, nutrient neutrality and waste soils, so why not call and see if we can help?
