Background

Great Blakenham Energy Park is a major energy from waste facility developed as a joint initiative between Suffolk County Council and SITA UK. The plant processes household and business waste remaining after recycling, diverting material from landfill and generating enough electricity to power up to 30,000 homes.

While the core function of the site is industrial, the design of the facility incorporates a suspended, glass fronted office section and prominent public facing areas. This required hard landscaping solutions that balanced robust performance with improved visual quality, while also managing surface water effectively across car parks, access roads and pedestrian areas.

The challenge

The project presented a combination of operational, environmental and aesthetic challenges, including:

  • Delivering effective surface water drainage across a large industrial site
  • Providing a SuDS‑compliant solution within car parking areas
  • Accommodating HGV traffic on access and delivery roads
  • Enhancing the appearance of pedestrian and office frontage areas
  • Ensuring durability and safety across a range of loading conditions

A coordinated approach was required to manage water at source, reduce flood risk and maintain safe access for both pedestrians and heavy vehicles.

The solution

Marshalls supplied a combination of permeable paving, block paving and combined kerb and drainage systems to meet the varied demands of the site.

For the pedestrian approach to the main entrance and office areas, Keyblok concrete block paving was specified in two contrasting blended colours. This provided a visually appealing alternative to standard block paving, while maintaining durability and suitability for a wide range of loading applications.

In the car park areas, Marshalls Priora permeable block paving was installed to deliver a source control SuDS solution. Priora’s patented nib design creates voids between blocks, allowing surface water to drain directly into a specially prepared sub base. Two colours were used to clearly delineate parking bays from roadways, supporting both functionality and legibility.

For access roads and the main delivery route beneath the suspended building section, Beany Block combined kerb and drainage was installed. With a loading classification of up to E600, Beany Block provided a robust, cost effective solution capable of withstanding regular HGV movements while delivering high surface water capture and large internal flow capacity.

The outcome

The integrated Marshalls solution delivered effective surface water management and SuDS performance across the site, while supporting the aesthetic and operational requirements of a major energy from waste facility.

  • Beany Block provided reliable drainage and durability on heavily trafficked access roads
  • Priora managed surface water at source, reducing flood risk and improving water quality without the need for additional linear drainage
  • Keyblok paving enhanced the visual quality of prominent pedestrian areas while maintaining long term performance

Together, these solutions helped create a safe, practical and visually considered external environment that supports the ongoing operation of a facility generating electricity for up to 30,000 homes.