Beginning of the works

Redevelopment of the site commenced in 2007 and will be phased over a number of years. After use masterplan has been prepared as part of the planning and approvals process for the site. The masterplan proposes a mix of uses including learning campus, local general hospital, leisure centre and sports pitches, a theatre, high quality offices and around 500 homes.

The following principles were employed in order to fully regenerate the area of the former steelworks:

• Remediate  hydrocarbon contamination on site;

• Create generally flat platforms suitable for future development by a combination of demolition and earthworks with the aim of reusing all materials on site without recourse to import or export;

• Remove  existing underground obstructions below the finished surface level including surface slabs, buried foundations, basements and tunnels and culverts;

• Implement  a basement reuse strategy which would allow some of the existing underground structures to be retained within the final development;

• Lower  the height of the western slopes of the Central Valley and regrade those slopes to provide a more stable surface for planting and a visually more attractive landscape form;

• Stabilise  and cap existing mine shafts;

• Divert  and raise existing deep surface water culverts and foul sewers;

• Implement a programme of landscaping, to include the creation of a landscaped park within the Central Valley floor and side slopes. Existing vegetation around the site perimeter to be retained and enhanced as part of the framework.

For the purpose of this case study only the remediation of the hydrocarbon contaminated land will be discussed.