Northrop

Northrop was engaged by Shortland Waters to provide master planning and concept design services for their Retirement Village upgrade. We have now seen the development through council approval and into the construction of the four stages of works, which includes approximately 200 ILU villas, lead-in infrastructure, new Golf Club House, new Community Centre, four new golf holes and modification to a number of others.

The brief

The project scope included a number of challenges, such as maintaining the operating golf course, overcoming topographical levels to provide adequate access, while maintaining yield and architectural features. Due to the location of the development, servicing was also a large concern to the client so the brief required us to work closely with local authorities to provide efficient and economical solutions for lead-in services.

The solution

Given the multi-faceted nature of the project, our signature ability to provide multidisciplinary design services enabled us to fully coordinate and take advantage of cost-effective outcomes for our client.

The value of an integrated approach

We provided significant value early in the project by redesigning the original proposal to more appropriately consider an integrated and balanced site-wide earthworks approach, with the aim of eliminating excess material being carted from the site. Furthermore, we prepared a site-wide stormwater management plan to reduce stormwater infrastructure (and therefore reduce infrastructure costs).

Unique constraints, strategic design

We provided the civil engineering design for the four new golf holes on the course, which are located over a disused tip site and adjacent to a SEPP 14 Wetland. With these two considerable constraints in play, we prepared the civil engineering design to achieve compliance with the Remediation Action Plan (RAP) and the Department of Primary Industries (Water)requirements, as well as ensuring a practical and cost effective outcome.

In addition, because the works required filling within the Wetland floodplain, we provided a flood impact assessment to satisfy Newcastle City Council requirements. Furthermore, an assessment on the impact of long-term consolidation of the underlying soils due to the addition of fill was undertaken to provide advice on overfilling of the site so that, once consolidated, the greens, tees and fairways remain above frequent flood inundation levels.

Balanced project and stakeholder management

We also provided the civil and structural design services for the new Golf Club House. The design of the split-level structure included upgrading the existing access road through the University of Newcastle site and providing ancillary carparking for the Club. This aspect of the project required particular consideration and stakeholder management to minimise impact on the University, as well as the adjacent Retirement Village and Golf Course.

We actively co-ordinated with the architect and landscape architect throughout the project, whilst we carried out and managed all engineering disciplines such as civil, structural, hydraulic, electrical, geotechnical, sewer pump station etc.

Client testimonial