When completed, Cranbrook will be a fantastic addition to an already stacked portfolio of projects for Kemp and Seeka!

Of course, a project of such magnitude is not without challenges! Scott Kemp, Director, commented: “The challenges, like most housing projects, have been with managing and analysing the design data provided from the numerous consultants employed by the developers. Of course weather always plays its part - and assisting our groundworks client MJL Contractors to keep working come rain or shine is never easy as we both have to work with the weather, the program and the data to keep things running smoothly.” Fortunately, the team at Kemps have relished - and adapted to - the challenges Cranbrook has presented!

 Sustainability has been at the heart of the project since its inception. The aim is to build Cranbrook with such attention to detail in this area that it becomes a model for low carbon mass open market housing developments. An investment in District Heating - enabling large scale delivery of low or zero carbon energy - is just one example of the development’s commitment to safeguarding the planet and setting the standard for other new town developments.

Over the years of our involvement with Cranbrook, the Kemp team has set out thousands of homes for foundations to be dug, sub-structure blockwork to be placed and timber frames to be positioned. We have conducted countless stockpile volume surveys for this project. With over 30 years of experience in volume measures, which have included some of the south west’s largest civil engineering schemes involving millions of cubic metres of muck shift these stockpiles have been very much part of our bread and butter.

 An additional contribution from Kemps at Cranbrook has been machine control models following a significant hardware investment by groundworkers MJL. Whilst this is new and emerging technology for many, our highly skilled staff were first using it in 2002 and so have many years of experience delivering MC models in numerous formats suitable for drainage, attenuation ponds and footings as well as site wide earthworks - so the team have taken this key responsibility in their stride. 

This project has been some time in the making, with the concept being born in 1991 and initial plans to develop the site first proposed in 1995. The vision is ambitious: Cranbrook’s new town - just 9 km from Exeter city centre - is being purpose-built with the needs of the local community in mind, and when completed the development will offer shops and other local facilities, plus over 8,000 homes for local people

Residents have been flocking to the town since the first homes became available in 2012, to coincide with the opening of the purpose-built primary school, St Martin’s C of E School. As of 2021, almost 7,000 residents have already settled into life in Cranbrook. 

 The team from Kemps, consisting of Director Scott Kemp and experienced Engineering Surveyors Ian, Chris and Josh, have been an important part of the project since 2017. On behalf of our client MJL Contractors, and other partners including Taylor Wimpey, we have been instrumental in setting out for the new homes, roads, and other crucial facilities. The Seeka team led by Andy and Josh are have been providing the Cranbrook team with the all important sub-surface PAS 128 utility surveys to enable the design team and contractors to plan and execute the works safely.

Another sustainability focus for the project has been the work undertaken to deliver superb public transport links for residents. Hourly trains from the purpose-built train station take passengers directly from Cranbrook to London Waterloo, aiming to encourage more eco-conscious travel for those with a commute to the capital to consider. Additionally, at only 2 km from Exeter Airport, international transport links are excellent for those hoping to escape easily to sunnier climes without undertaking additional domestic travel. Residents of Cranbrook can easily and efficiently visit the city centre via bus. Thus, a small-town feeling with a larger city accessibility is being delivered for the residents.

With the development scheduled for completion in Spring 2024, the team at Kemps - and no doubt, the residents and their soon-to-be neighbours - are looking forward to seeing this ambitious and important project fully realised. Scott notes, “I am proud of our involvement in assisting with the creation of a new town that thousands of people will call home and bring up their families in. It’s a good feeling to know that you have helped create something that will mean so much to so many people for generations to come.”