Hatch Farm Dairies, Winnersh

Project Overview

SMA was engaged by Bovis Homes Ltd (now Vistry) and Persimmon Homes Ltd to support the development of a major residential and infrastructure scheme in Winnersh. The project includes the construction of 433 new homes, a 24-hectare country park, and 1.7 km of the Winnersh Relief Road (Phase 1), a critical new transport link to alleviate congestion in the area.

The site presented numerous technical and environmental challenges, particularly in relation to flood risk management, sensitive ecology, and complex ground conditions.

Key Challenges

• Floodplain Infrastructure Design: A significant portion of the site lies within the floodplain of the River Loddon. The project required the design and construction of an 800m road embankment across floodplain, incorporating a twin-arch bridge, single-arch bridge, and nine flood relief culverts.
• Ground Conditions: Due to the variable geological conditions, this required careful geotechnical consideration.
• Environmental Sensitivities:
  • Preservation of ancient woodland and protected trees (TPOs)
  • Safeguarding of local flora and fauna through sensitive design and construction practices
• Utility Diversions:
  • Replacement of 1.5km of 132kV overhead lines with underground cabling
  • Diversion of existing telecommunications infrastructure
  • Protection and integration of existing water mains and sewerage systems
• Construction Phasing:
  • Detailed phasing to safely manage interactions between construction activities and ongoing residential development
  • Implementation of temporary traffic management strategies on the local road network and within the site to safely segregate construction traffic.

SMA’s Role and Services

SMA provided multi-disciplinary support throughout the project, including:

• Feasibility studies and infrastructure masterplanning
• Hydrological and hydraulic catchment modelling
• Civil engineering design for highway, drainage, and earthworks
• Coordination and management of technical input from other design consultants
• Design support and inspection services during construction
• Construction traffic management
• Stakeholder liaison with local authorities, the Environment Agency, Thames Water, utility providers, and the project’s contractors
• Travel Plan Coordination services

Project Outcomes

SMA’s involvement has been key in navigating the environmental, engineering, and stakeholder complexities of the site, and helped to deliver critical flood mitigation, enhanced local biodiversity through the creation of a country park, and improvements to local connectivity with the delivery of a strategic relief road, all whilst supporting the delivery of much-needed new homes. SMA are also now responsible for delivery of the Travel Plan Coordination services for the site.