| Client: Woodthorpe Hall Garden Centres Ltd |
| Sector: Commercial |
| Location: Albrighton Garden Centre, Wolverhampton |
| Disciplines: Lighting, Flood Risk and Drainage |
Overview
MEC were commissioned by Woodthorpe Hall Garden Centres Ltd to provide technical support for the commercial development of Padel tennis and Pickleball courts with associated car parking on 0.72 hectares of unused land at Albrighton Garden Centre.
The site is categorised as grey belt within the green belt, with the proposed development seeking to transform the unused land into a new community sporting hub.
Overview of MEC Services
Lighting
Our Lighting team undertook a Lighting Impact Assessment to understand how the proposed sporting facilities could affect lighting levels within the surrounding areas.
Using detailed lighting models, the team assessed potential light intrusion, source intensity and skyglow to ensure the lighting design met relevant national standards. Particular consideration was also given to the surrounding ecological areas, with the assessment demonstrating that lighting associated with the development would not have a significant impact on light-sensitive species using the area.
Flood Risk and Drainage
Our Flood Risk and Drainage team assisted the proposed Padel and Pickleball development through the design of a detailed drainage strategy and accompanying technical reporting demonstrating the proposals would not result in adverse flood risk to the Site or third parties, whilst ensuring the Site can drain in accordance with the latest NPPF and associated National Standards for SuDS.
The team’s review of the Site concluded there to be no existing flood risk issues that would pose a major risk to the development, and determined that the surface water runoff generated can be managed through a series of filter drains and permeable paving before discharging into the existing private surface water network at a restricted rate via on-site attenuation features.
Outcome
Bringing forward this commercial site required a co-ordinated approach across our Lighting and Flood Risk and Drainage disciplines to ensure it could be delivered safely and in line with local and national standards. The technical evidence helped to support the application and secure planning permission for the development. We look forward to seeing the development take shape as construction gets underway.
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