Consultancy’s work on regenerating old brownfield sites reaps triple success

Rodgers Leask engineers L-R: Howel Morris, Sean Leach, Chris Wilson and Dan Hopkins with trophies.

Engineering consultancy Rodgers Leask is celebrating after a triple success for its work on major regeneration schemes involving brownfield sites.

The firm, which has its headquarters in Derby, triumphed at the 13th Brownfield Briefing Awards, a flagship event which recognises all that is best practice in the remediation sector and rewards technical and conceptual excellence in projects.

Rodgers Leask won two categories and was highly commended in a third.  In each case the company was linked with schemes by St Modwen Developments.

In the category for the best brownfield infrastructure project, Rodgers Leask won for its work to design surface water and foul water management systems at the 600 acre former Llanwern Steelworks site at Newport in South Wales. The multi-function design for the new residential and business community was praised for its alternative approaches to flood storage, water quality management and bio-diversity enhancement as well as enhancing the landscape.

The company’s win in the Best Biodiversity Enhancement category was achieved for its work to re-route the River Ewelme at a former engine works at Dursley, Gloucestershire. The design successfully took the river from concrete culvert to open channel, re-creating a natural river habitat, providing the opportunity for fauna and flora to naturally migrate along the new river channel and increase local biodiversity.

Rodgers Leask was also highly commended for its engineering input on the redevelopment of the former MG Rover works at Longbridge in the West Midlands. Over the last 12 years Rodgers Leask has been involved in all major phases of the development of the 190 hectare site which has transformed into a thriving new town centre and includes major retail stores, educational and office buildings,  a 75-bedroom hotel, and  shops, restaurants, and homes.

Andy Leask, chairman, said: “This was the first time we have entered these high-profile and prized awards so we are delighted to have been so successful.

“The results are a huge endorsement for the company, and a testament to the commitment and hard work of our staff in both Derby and the Birmingham office in helping to revitalise technically challenging sites for modern uses and to benefit local communities.”