Infrastructure
Atkins is well known for its infrastructure work, including road, rail, ports and airports, schools, hospitals and major development sites of all kinds.
What, perhaps, is less well known, is our long-standing commitment to ensuring that we conserve and enhance the natural and built heritage. This is as an integral part of our work and our approach is not only to innovate but also to challenge, pushing at the boundaries of what we and our clients can do.
One good example is the environmental and heritage conservation programme currently underway as we widen the M1 motorway in the UK:
- Our landscape architects have ensured that there is extensive new tree and shrub planting (over 100,000 new plants), mostly matching those species present in ancient woodlands and hedgerows in the area. In addition, planting has been chosen to reflect the surrounding heritage features. The landscape proposals will retain important views from the motorway and screen views of traffic from local houses. There will be feature planting of distinctive species to create a sense of place and visual and seasonal variety.
- Our archaeologists are also busy with a programme of excavations as part of the mitigation design following the results of trial trenching completed in consultation with local authorities. An innovative photographic survey of the construction process, recording the M1 as a 20th Century icon, and recording the original 1950s pre-cast concrete bridges before modification or demolition form two further key elements of the mitigation design for the M1.
- Our ecologists have specified badger-proof fencing along 400m of the motorway in an attempt to protect badgers in a nearby sett from moving onto the motorway. An existing sett has to be closed but it is being replaced.
- For bats, we are providing numerous new artificial roosts on trees and at other locations along the route. We are also replacing nesting habitat for birds by erecting new boxes in suitable areas. We are retaining mature tree limbs to use as replacement roosts on the mature trees that are remaining. New ponds for wildlife are being created to replace one which will be lost. We are also planting night scented plants around some of the balancing ponds to attract insects which will, in turn, provide a food source for bats.
- There will be species-rich grassland on exposed chalk cuttings for butterfly species, as recommended by experts at Butterfly Conservation.
- Log piles will be created from felled trees to create ecological habitats.
- Over 6000m of noise reducing environmental barriers and bunds are being provided and low noise surfacing throughout reduces noise levels by 3.5 decibels. Over 400 properties are benefiting from noise reductions, with only one suffering an increase
- Our Water expertise is overseeing the introduction of pollution control measures in accordance with Sustainable Urban Drainage principles and in liaison with the Environment Agency. There will be 19 new or remodelled balancing ponds incorporating ecological features to promote wildlife.
- We are also introducing 'full cut-off' lighting to reduce light pollution, and maintenance of public rights of way.