Twenty previously contaminated locations at the former RAF Oakington airfield have now been cleaned up in preparation for a major Homes England development in Cambridgeshire.
Groundworks specialist CR Civil Engineering, part of the RSK Group, delivered the remediation effort alongside main contractor CR MacDonald. The 12-month programme covered 25 hectares within the wider 165-hectare Northstowe new town, focusing on large-scale earthworks and the safe treatment of legacy contamination while keeping environmental impacts to a minimum. Homes England is targeting a 15% biodiversity net gain in later phases — exceeding the statutory 10% requirement.
Paul Saysell, operations manager at CR Civil Engineering, said the team was able to recycle substantial volumes of material on site as part of its waste strategy. “We processed and reused more than 80,000 tonnes of surplus concrete, brick and unsuitable soils as fill, producing 6F5 and Class 2 material using crushers and screens. This prevented a significant amount of waste from leaving the site,” he noted.
Only contaminated material and scrap metal required removal to specialist treatment facilities. According to Saysell, the team also worked with arborists to preserve 11 hectares of mature woodland and set aside over 50 younger trees for potential translocation. In total, remediation made 20 contaminated hotspots safe for future development — all contributing to the wider sustainability objectives of the Northstowe masterplan.
Brownfield regeneration
The project drew on expertise from several RSK Group businesses, including RSK Raw for environmental and remediation services, ATV Contract Services for ecological supervision and vegetation clearance, and Central Alliance for ground radar investigations.
Saysell said the work demonstrates how civil engineering can drive regeneration by transforming derelict sites into development-ready land. “Northstowe shows how brownfield areas can be brought back into productive use, helping to tackle the UK’s housing needs,” he added.
Philip Harker, assistant director of technical services at Homes England, said the scheme highlights the benefits of collaborative working. “This project illustrates how we are partnering with CR Civil Engineering and the RSK Group to deliver much-needed homes while ensuring environmental sustainability is embedded throughout. It means future residents will inherit a well-planned and resilient community.”
