Access to East Midlands Airport has been improved with the official launch of a new 2.5km route.

A £10 million infrastructure scheme has reached completion, delivering the Castle Donington relief road in Leicestershire. This provides a much-needed link from the airport to the A50.

Principal contractor Chasetown Civil Engineering worked with Leicestershire County Council and designers IDOM Merebrook to deliver the scheme. Pick Everard also delivered project management, quantity surveying and health and safety advisory services

Paul Gibbs, associate director at Pick Everard said: "Although the road is quite short in terms of distance, the project required a significant amount of technical understanding. It was an incredibly complex infrastructure project to deliver, with constraints including: construction taking place under a 185,000 volt power line; the demolition of an abandoned underground reservoir and the site’s close proximity to East Midlands Airport.


"Airports have strict guidelines on how neighbouring construction works affecting the land will alter wildlife patterns. We had to be mindful of grass seeding and vegetation specification, considering the length of grass, height of mounds and hedgerows planted in relation to bird patterns.

"We held 'bird strike mitigation meetings' every two weeks with East Midlands Airport, monitoring bird flight and feeding patterns throughout the duration of the works.

"Wildlife requirements were also balanced alongside security considerations when working in proximity to the airport boundary security fencing.   

"Further public liaison meetings took place with local councils and groups for the duration of the project to ensure minimum impact on the local community."

The new road now also provides access points for Miller Homes, Redrow Homes and Clowes Developments' 900-unit housing development and neighbouring commercial schemes.

Jake Richardson, engineering manager at Miller Homes Midlands added: "We feel very strongly about leaving a positive legacy that benefits the local community wherever we build. This approach has been guiding us since we announced our Charters Gate development in the area.

"By joining forces with the two neighbouring developers and working closely with our contractors, including Pick Everard, we've delivered a complex but very much needed piece of local infrastructure. Built to help ease traffic in a busy commuter hotspot for Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, we hope it will benefit both residents and local businesses for years to come.

"This is just one way Miller Homes is investing in Castle Donington, alongside building a new primary school, sports pitch and village park to support our £1.5 million Section 106 contributions to the area."

(CM/MH)