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Civils & Structures team move to detailed design with Mi-space on 4.65ha Barne Barton site

16th Nov 2020

With construction due to start on site at the end of the year, Hydrock’s civil and structural engineering team in Plymouth are now advising Mi-space, a specialist in the construction of affordable housing, on the detailed design for 204 new homes at Barne Barton in Plymouth.

This 4.65ha site on a steeply sloping site, with stunning views across Devonport Dockyard, is being developed out by Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest provider of affordable housing. Clarion already has a strong attachment to Plymouth, owning and managing 1,500 homes in the area and playing an active role as members of Plymouth Housing Development Partnership.

Hydrock has been acting for Clarion for over two years on their £22m proposal to rebuild the entire existing estate. Originally built for the MoD in the 1960s, Barne Barton was once the largest Naval housing estate in the UK, but there were many structural issues with the flats resulting in poor living conditions in a poor layout on the steep hill.

Hydrock’s engineering team, alongside the architects Clifton Emery Design, have supported Clarion through the planning process which has included extensive engagement with residents and the local community. The scheme focuses on quality accommodation, a green street with formal and informal play spaces, a central square acting as a public open space with a viewing area towards the river Tamar, designated play spaces for different age groups, and community allotments.

For this steeply inclined site, our civils team has advised on a new site-wide sustainable urban drainage strategy and the closure of two existing roads. Given the nature of the sloping site, their work has also focused on all the retaining walls, including multiple highway retaining structures.

Our structural engineers have worked with the architects to design split level houses due to the slope. In total there are 204 homes spread across 11 house types and seven apartment blocks.

Demolition is now practically complete and Hydrock is currently advising Mi-space ahead of construction on the final stages of detailed design.

Images courtesy of Clifton Emery Design