Edenbrook Village, Fleet

Project Overview

SMA was appointed by Berkeley Homes Southern Ltd to support a major residential development located within the floodplain of the River Hart. The scheme included proposals to deliver over 500 new homes, a new country park, sports pitches, and associated infrastructure across a 40-hectare site. To enable this, extensive flood compensation earthworks were required to meet planning and environmental requirements.

Key Challenges

• Floodplain Constraints: Working within the active floodplain of the River Hart required meticulous hydrological and hydraulic planning, especially given the site’s high-water table and flood sensitivity.
• Earthworks Complexity: Over 150,000m³ of earthworks operations were planned and executed to provide level-for-level flood compensation, integrating phasing, cut-and-fill modelling, and operational methodologies.
• Stakeholder Coordination: SMA liaised with key stakeholders, including the Environment Agency, Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), Parish Council, Local Councillors, and Thames Water.
• Utility Diversions: Major utilities were re-routed, including the diversion of 33kV overhead electricity cables through the flood compensation zone.
• Infrastructure Integration: The design had to accommodate pedestrian and cycle infrastructure, landscape planting, and multiple bridge structures within the new country park.
• Public Engagement: SMA provided clear, non-technical presentations to local residents and parish councils, addressing concerns about flood risk and system operation.
• Regulatory Approvals: Securing multiple watercourse consents and gaining Approval in Principle for new highway structures over watercourses were essential for the project’s progression.

SMA’s Role and Services

SMA delivered a comprehensive package of services, including:

• Feasibility studies and infrastructure planning
• Integrated catchment hydrological and hydraulic modelling
• Civil engineering design and support
• Flood compensation design (level-for-level)
• Cut-and-fill modelling with detailed phasing and methodology plans
• Coordination of technical inputs from third-party consultants
• Utility coordination and design integration
• Public engagement and stakeholder presentations
• Ongoing inspection of works and construction period design support

Project Outcomes

SMA worked alongside Berkeley Homes to negotiate the various flood-risk constraints on the site. Our team’s in-depth understanding of flood risk and planning policy played a key role in creating a development strategy that balanced commercial ambitions with environmental sensitivity and local needs.

We developed a tailored flood compensation scheme that didn’t just comply with policy, but improved the site’s long-term sustainability and resilience. The success of the project was built on close collaboration with stakeholders and a design-led approach, that turned technical constraints into opportunities for better placemaking.