A decade is a significant milestone, and looking back at the projects we’ve delivered provides a great opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come. From challenging and technically complex schemes to projects that have created lasting benefits for our clients and the communities they serve, every project has brought new challenges, opportunities to learn and experiences that have helped shape who we are today.
Behind every successful project is a combination of technical expertise, careful planning, problem-solving and, perhaps most importantly, strong relationships. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to work alongside fantastic clients, contractors, consultants, suppliers and partners who have shared our commitment to delivering high-quality results.
Our project portfolio is a reflection not only of the breadth of our capabilities, but also of the dedication and hard work of our team. Their knowledge, experience and commitment have been instrumental in helping us overcome challenges, find innovative solutions and consistently deliver for our clients.
In this blog, we’re taking a look back at some of the projects that have stood out over the past 10 years, highlighting the challenges we faced, the solutions we delivered and the successes we achieved along the way.
Rotherham Riverside Residential Quarter
Client: Esh Construction. End User: Rotherham MBC
Location: Rotherham (Water Lane and Riverside)
The scheme involved the survey, preliminary and detailed design of a £4.4 million improvement project along the Rotherham Riverside, supporting the wider regeneration of the town and unlocking brownfield land for future development. Lynas Engineers acted as Principal Designer throughout the scheme, providing ongoing technical support during construction through responses to technical queries, design updates to accommodate ground conditions and previously unidentified site constraints, and advice on health and safety matters.
The works included the construction of a new access road and riverside footpath linking Water Lane with the town centre, together with extensive landscaping and infrastructure improvements. The design incorporated significant site clearance, earthworks, deep drainage, footways and pavements, fencing and gabion baskets to create a retaining wall feature.
On completion, Lynas Engineers provided the as-built drawings and Health and Safety File. Working collaboratively with Esh Construction, the team ensured that materials, specifications and construction methodologies complied with planning requirements and relevant local and national standards.
The successful project was subsequently nominated for a Constructing Excellence Award, recognising the quality of the regeneration and infrastructure works.
Horden Access Track
Client: Seymour Civil Engineering. Ultimate Client The Coal Authority.
Location: Horden, County Durham
The scheme involved the survey and detailed design for the construction of a replacement culvert, embankment and access track providing critical access for the Coal Authority. Working collaboratively with multiple agencies, Lynas Engineers developed a range of innovative solutions to make the site safe, functional and environmentally sensitive.
Throughout construction, the team supported Seymour Civil Engineering, including the design of a temporary access route that significantly reduced the impact on the surrounding rural environment and ensured that materials, specifications and construction methods complied with relevant national standards. To maintain watercourse flows during construction, the existing culvert was retained in operation while the replacement culvert was constructed offline. The existing culvert was subsequently left in situ and fitted with a removable cap. Environmental protection was a key consideration throughout the project, with the site located within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Lynas Engineers designed downstream stone gabion areas to provide water-quality benefits while retaining the rural and ecological character of the site, treated timber elements and carefully graded earthworks were also incorporated to complement the surrounding landscape. The existing infrastructure was in a state of disrepair, with ongoing subsidence threatening the integrity and safe operation of the access track.
The completed scheme provided a safe and resilient access route while minimising environmental impact and protecting the sensitive ecological setting.
Newham Link Road
Client: Middlesbrough Council
Location: Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough Council commissioned Lynas Engineers to design and deliver a new 1.6km offline link road connecting the B1365 to the residential network within Coulby Newham. The scheme provides Middlesbrough with a resilient, sustainable and future-proof piece of infrastructure.
The scheme provides the primary access route for a 77-hectare strategic housing development, unlocking approximately 1,000 new homes, a new school and associated community facilities. Lynas Engineers provided full lifecycle support, from early planning and environmental appraisal through to detailed design, construction supervision, contract administration and CDM Principal Designer duties. The team also supported Middlesbrough Council throughout the planning process, preparing the full submission package and attending planning committee, where the scheme was unanimously approved, reflecting its strong justification and well-developed design.
The Coulby Newham Link Road demonstrates Lynas Engineers’ capability to deliver complex civil engineering projects across the full project lifecycle, unlocking major housing growth, enhancing connectivity, improving highway safety and delivering measurable biodiversity benefits.
IAMP Washington
Client: ESH Civils
Location: Border of South Tyneside / Sunderland City Council
Lynas Engineers was engaged by Esh Civils to provide civil and highway engineering design input, initially reviewing the existing design to identify opportunities to improve constructability, remove unnecessary infrastructure and optimise the overall construction solution. Lynas Engineers subsequently took responsibility for developing the revised civil and highway design and coordinating the design information required for construction.
The original design resulted in relatively high finished road levels, significant earthworks, large swales and a deep pavement construction. Surface water drainage requirements were a key driver of the proposed levels, while the site also presented constraints associated with existing infrastructure and overhead high-voltage cables. Working closely with Esh Civils and South Tyneside Council, Lynas Engineers developed an alternative approach which considered the highway, drainage, earthworks and pavement as an integrated system. The revised approach introduced a crossfall across the carriageway, allowing the western swale and associated drainage kerbs to be removed. The eastern drainage arrangement was simplified through the removal of the kerb drain and introduction of front-entry gullies discharging towards the swale.
The swale arrangement was rationalised, reducing the proposed depths and widths while maintaining the required drainage function. The two swales were connected using a carrier drain beneath the southern access. Revised road levels also helped reduce excavation and imported material requirements while maintaining suitable drainage falls and safe clearances to the overhead electrical infrastructure. Following ground investigation and initial CBR testing, the pavement construction was reviewed. The original pavement construction was approximately 1,140mm deep. For areas achieving a CBR of 3% or greater, the agreed value-engineered solution reduced this to approximately 600mm – a reduction of 540mm, or around 47% in construction depth.
During construction, subsequent testing identified significantly poorer formation CBRs than the original results, with some results around 1–2.5%. Lynas Engineers responded by reassessing the pavement foundation and considering a range of options, including additional Type 1, capping and geogrid solutions. Specialist input was sought from geosynthetic suppliers to establish an appropriate response to the ground conditions encountered while maintaining the overall value-engineering objectives.
During construction, Lynas Engineers continued to provide technical support as site conditions and construction requirements developed. This included coordinating CAD and 3D information for setting out, earthworks and drainage, as well as reviewing changes to the rising main alignment. When the construction team identified an opportunity to reduce the length of rising main within the carriageway, Lynas Engineers reviewed the proposed realignment hydraulically and coordinated with RetroFlo to confirm that the revised arrangement maintained the required gradients, cover and operational requirements.
The design package was progressively updated to address technical queries relating to drainage, pavement, earthworks, utilities, rising main, kerbing, footways and adoption requirements. This collaborative approach enabled the design to respond efficiently to both design development and construction-stage constraints. The result was a coordinated, construction-focused design which simplified the original infrastructure arrangement, significantly reduced the pavement construction depth where ground conditions permitted, reduced unnecessary drainage infrastructure and provided practical solutions to unexpected ground and construction constraints.