Ashburton District Council engaged WSP to prepare a structure plan for a large business estate northeast of the town.
The plan provided a blueprint for the development of land rezoned from rural to business. It showed the layout of key infrastructure and buffer areas to ensure integrated, holistic development.
Key features of the project included:
- Early engagement with key stakeholders
- Structure plan blueprint and outline development plan
- Infrastructure design
- Landscape master plan incorporating sustainability, connectivity, permeability, community integration and personal security
- A landscape buffer area between the business estate and rural residential properties to maintain a high level of amenity and provide noise protection.
A key benefit to the district is the transportation network to and from the estate. The plan maximised transportation opportunities with key connections to the main trunk rail line, State Highway 1 and Ashburton Airport.
The result is a transport solution where the site provides excellent links to ports, providing transport efficiencies for tenants.
Another highlight was achieving a high level of amenity for adjoining properties and the business estate itself. A 15.5 ha area within the business estate allows for cycling, walking and general recreation, and is planted with over 30,000 trees and mounded to achieve visual screening and noise protection for nearby residents.
We provided all technical expertise on the project, with one point of contact for the client. Our work on infrastructure design, transportation planning and engineering drew from a range of disciplines including planning, landscape architecture, and environmental and civil engineering.
