The Fairways, Binfield

Creating the infrastructure for new roads, sewers and houses

In June 2018, our groundworks team started work on phase one of a new development for Bloor Homes in Binfield, near Bracknell, Berkshire. The site is being developed as part of a consortium with fellow house builder Linden Homes. The £5 million deal awarded Mackoy the contract to complete the full groundworks infrastructure for the first phase of Bloor Homes houses on site, as well as the new community's network of roads and all underground sewer works.

Excavations got underway in spring 2018, with the site first being cleared of its existing topsoil layers and vegetation before progressing to the finer details of the groundwork infrastructure package. With works scheduled to be completed in 12 months, the heat was on our team to keep build times to daily targets, with our Site Manager tasked with overseeing operations on the ground at the Wood Lane site.

Bringing 420 new high-spec homes to Binfield

The Fairways development is situated in Wood Lane, just a couple of miles outside Bracknell town centre. With 420 homes planned for the site, the new community is sure to bring a welcome boost to Binfield's housing stock. Bearing in mind the size and scale of the project, we assigned five gangs (approximately 30 men) to work on location at any one time. We recruited from within our pool of Berkshire-based groundwork operatives to ensure we had enough gangs on site for the job.

As the M4 is just 1.7 miles from the site and, with the Bracknell mainland railway station just two miles away, The Fairways location and excellent transport links no doubt factored highly in the decision by Bloor Homes and Linden Homes to develop the site. As well as the ease of access into London and Reading, residents will also benefit from the many amenities of Bracknell immediately on their doorstep, while Binfield's local pubs and shops are just a short walk away.

Teaming up with two major housing developers

The contract with Bloor Homes and Linden Homes at Binfield isn't the first time Mackoy have been part of a consortium housing build. We also tendered and won the contract for 56 residential units at Luzborough Green in Romsey, Hampshire – a £3 million consortium deal with Wyatt Homes and Morrish Builders that got underway in September 2017.

Together with the new two-, three- and four-bedroom houses at The Fairways, the new Bloor Homes and Linden Homes development also includes a 13-hectare green space with sports amenities and a new 1,800-capacity school. This helps to anchor the scheme within the existing Binfield community and provide amenities that both new and existing residents will benefit from.