Environmental firm SLR Consulting has helped Crest Nicholson gain outline planning permission from Horsham District Council for the development of 2500 homes at Kilnwood Vale, near Crawley in West Sussex.

SLR has worked with Crest for over eight years, promoting the site through the Horsham Local Development Framework and subsequently working closely with Horsham District Council and Crawley Borough Council through both the development of a Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP) and planning application.

As well as 2500 homes, the new neighbourhood will have a mixed use centre and a new railway station.

SLR Director and Project Manager Jeremy Smith, said: "We initially helped to make Kilnwood Vale one of the preferred sites for the development in Horsham by providing guidance regarding the inert landfill, which occupies one third of the site.

"We also addressed concerns about effects on the Strategic Gap between Crawley and Horsham and the adjacent High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We then formed part of the design team, as well as the EIA team, for the successful planning application."

Crest Nicholson Development Director Scott Black said: "We are delighted that we have received outline planning permission for this development and are grateful for all SLR’s hard work in helping us to secure it."

The sustainable credentials of the new neighbourhood include the integration of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) as part of the Green Infrastructure of the site.

SLR’s Hydrology team carried out the Flood Risk Assessment and also designed the SuDS in close co-operation with SLR’s Landscape Architects.

SLR was also able to provide guidance on the waste strategy for the new neighbourhood and SLR’s archaeologists addressed various cultural heritage issues.

SLR has worked with Crest for over eight years as part of a team including Savills, PBA and Barton Willmore, promoting the site through the Horsham Local Development Framework and working closely with both Horsham District Council and Crawley Borough Council through a Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP).

SLR is an international environmental consultancy, based near Oxford in the UK, with almost 900 employees working from 63 offices in the Europe, North America, Australasia, and Africa. SLR is one of a very small number of truly international specialist environmental consultancies.

It provides global advice and support on a wide range of strategic and site-specific issues to a diverse and growing base of business, regulatory and governmental clients.

Key areas of SLR’s business are the energy and mining sector where it is involved with both the oil and gas industry, renewable power including wind, energy from waste, hydropower and biomass, and advises mining companies and funding organisations throughout the world.

SLR is also the leading consultant to the private sector waste management industry in the UK and undertakes a significant amount of planning and environmental impact assessment work for major commercial developers.