Taking freight logistics from road to rail

SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway - Geotechnical Design

SEGRO set out to deliver a modal shift of freight from road to rail with their new logistics gateway centrally located in the Midlands. Adjacent to the East Midlands Airport and with direct access to Junction 24 of the M1, the 700-acre (283-hectare) site provided plenty of room for SEGRO to expand and refine their operations. They reached out to our geotechnical engineers to help.

Initially, SEGRO appointed us to advise on the geotechnical design of the proposed site before the earthworks were tendered. Subsequently, they novated us as geotechnical designer and advisor on the main site, rail terminal, rail embankment, and offsite highway and bridges work. We then supported the scheme through the Development Consent Order, as part of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) process, into completion of infrastructure construction works.

One of our key challenges involved the issue of providing a large, level plateau for the high-bay warehouses and the rail terminal through a major cut to fill earthworks programme. There was a significant level difference between the airport runway and the rail sidings connection to the Castle Donington railway line.

We undertook rigorous specification and selection of earthworks materials to support geotechnical compliance requirements for building foundations, cutting slope, and embankment stability. The work included forming a cutting to accommodate the rail terminal and achieve the rail-line gradients needed to operate freight trains.

Our work also included raising the level of the A453 dual carriageway adjacent to the junction to provide access to the site. Additionally, we provided geotechnical design of the foundations and embankments for the bridge on the A50 among other infrastructure support.

Today, the SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway (SLPEMG) sets a new benchmark in the UK’s logistics landscape. It’s facilitating a significant reduction of heavy goods vehicle (HVG) traffic on the road network and has helped create over 7,000 jobs.