Chasetown Civil Engineering was awarded the contract by Miller Homes to be Principal Contractor to construct a new 1.5km spine road to accommodate urban expansion on the western side of Northampton. The spine road consisted of single carriageway with footpaths, four new roundabouts, traffic signals, utilities, and significant SUDS (sustainable urban drainage systems). Miller Homes were required to build the spine road as part of their Norwood Quarter development. The spine road also becomes part of the Northampton North West Ring Road and has therefore been adopted by West Northamptonshire Council.

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The project involved major earthworks with 126,000m3 of material moved. It included 1.5km of new single carriageway road construction, four new build roundabouts, and two Section 278 roundabouts with live traffic interfaces. Drainage works included six attenuation ponds, five flow control chambers, and drainage systems up to 1050mm in diameter and 6.7m deep, including a road crossing where access had to be maintained. Utility works involved two 355mm diameter water main diversions, overhead HV electric being lowered and diverted underground, as well as LV electric and telecoms diversions. Footways were installed along the length of the scheme, along with seven toucan crossings and bus stops. Advance Directional Signs (ADS) were also installed.

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Groundworks included 80 bulk sales plots for Chasetown Civil Engineering along with the associated infrastructure up to damp course level. Health and safety measures were robust, with zero harm incidents reported. A workforce of 50 personnel was employed at peak, including both internal and subcontract personnel. Innovations included the use of drone flyovers for progress images and footage, which were integrated into induction and briefing sessions to give a live view of the project.

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Sustainability was a key focus, with the compound setup using mains connections for electricity and water to avoid temporary generators and water tanks. The project piloted the Fuel Active system on plant to reduce diesel consumption. Various Public Protection Partnership measures were installed to cleanse water before it entered watercourses, including flocculant blocks, gabions with Terrastop to hold silt in basins, and fortnightly testing of attenuation ponds. The earthworks strategy was developed in consultation with the client to form a holistic cut-and-fill plan. Arisings from the road construction were regraded for future residential developments and open park spaces, creating an earthworks balance across the wider site. Local procurement initiatives included sourcing materials and labor from nearby locations, supporting the focus on local spend and employment.