Westcott Park, a former WWII air base, has a rich history as a test and development centre for rocket propulsion engineering, including missiles, launchers, and satellites. The site continues to evolve as a testing and development zone for some of the world’s most exciting aerospace and propulsion technology pioneers. It also provides a home for various other employment uses, serving as a hub for rocket, satellite, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) testing.

Additionally, it functions as an incubator space for related start-up tech companies, with a successful track record of rehousing these businesses elsewhere on the site as they mature. We are providing project management, cost consultancy and sustainability services, including Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Cost, and Whole Life Carbon assessment for the development. As Project Manager and Cost Manager, we were appointed at an early stage to work on the concept design, developing a scheme that aligns with the client’s appraisal. This required reviewing and adjusting the initial design to fit the client’s requirements and meet the target cost, while liaising with the end users (URA Thrusters) to incorporate their needs. The project is funded by the UK Space Agency, which imposed specific deadlines, necessitating a very tight program to secure planning and deliver design and construction.

The site is prone to floods, which required undertaking flood studies and design optioneering to establish the optimal design, avoiding any flood impact on neighbouring properties. We worked with internal and external consultants and stakeholders. Engagement with stakeholders began at the outset of the project, maintaining regular communication and conducting meetings to present the design and accommodate their requirements, which are reflected in the agreement for lease.

The project is targeting BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings. The energy needs of the project will benefit from a solar farm adjacent to the site, and the scheme includes electric vehicle parking, with 10% of spaces equipped with charging points and 50% of all spaces having appropriate ducting for future demand. The hub building includes end-of journey facilities and cycle storage to encourage sustainable transport. The project aims to provide a 15% biodiversity net gain, creating swales and ponds to retain the Great Crested Newts, exceeding the ecology requirements set at 10%.

The project successfully secured funding from the UK Space Agency and agreements for lease with URA Thrusters by designing a scheme that meets the end users’ needs and requirements while remaining flexible to accommodate future client requirements.

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