Kilnwood Vale
Earthworks & Cut/Fill Design
A bespoke design solution with 1,600,000m³ cut to fill
Contaminated Soil Treatment
On-site processing of 1,200,000m³ of waste soils to re-use criteria
Ground Improvement
Dynamic compaction, 800,000m³ surcharging and river diversion works
Project Overview
Dunton Environmental was appointed by Crest Nicholson to carry out the remediation and earthworks on a former 132-hectare landfill at Kilnwood Vale, Crawley — one of the largest landfill regeneration projects of its kind in the UK.
Once complete, the site will provide around 2,500 homes alongside new transport links, including a new train station on the Crawley to Horsham line. Historically, the site operated as a landfill for 30 years.
Project Cost
28 Million
Size
132 Hectares
Recycled Materials
85%
1,600,000m³ cut to fill
Completion Time
4 Years
The Problem
As a former 30-year landfill, the site held highly variable material that raised serious concerns about differential settlement. Much of the excavated material was both chemically contaminated and geotechnically unstable, demanding extensive processing before it could be re-used.
Challenges Faced
- Former landfill use — variable, contaminated and geotechnically unstable material
- Risk of differential settlement across the site
- A stringent testing regime due to the extent of contamination
- Adverse weather raising soil moisture content above expectations
- Unprecedented scale in area, volume and duration
The Solution
Dunton developed a design solution and delivered the works across 22 phases, agreeing a sequence where remediated and improved platforms were handed over for development one after another — keeping the wider programme moving.
Techniques Used
- Cut and fill — including vegetation and topsoil strip across the 132-hectare site
- On-site soil treatment — extensive processing of contaminated soils to meet re-use criteria
- River diversion works — carried out to enable the earthworks programme
- Ground improvement — dynamic compaction and 800,000m³ of surcharging to control settlement
- Moisture conditioning — additional conditioning to manage soils affected by adverse weather
The Result
Through a carefully phased approach, Dunton turned an unstable former landfill into developable land at a scale rarely seen in the UK.
Key Results
- Former 132-hectare landfill remediated and prepared for development
- Site enabled for approximately 2,500 new homes
- 1,200,000m³ of waste soils processed and re-used on site
- 22 development platforms handed over sequentially to keep the programme moving
- Supported new transport links, including a new train station on the Crawley to Horsham line
What Our Partners Say
“Dunton’s expertise in land remediation transformed what seemed like an insurmountable challenge into an opportunity for success. Their innovative methods saved us time and money while delivering exceptional results. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”
