The move will see the firm work on over 450 new-build properties for Avant Homes’ schemes in Bramcote and Awsworth in Nottinghamshire. Engineering services work is also underway on a development of 450 new two, three, four and five bedroomed and affordable properties for Taylor Wimpey at West Lane (pictured) near Ripon.

This work, which includes Section 278 highway engineering works to provide new site access roads, comes as RWO is already involved in a number of other residential schemes across the country.

These include the provision of planning services, detailed civil and structural design and support services for Barratt Homes, Gleeson Homes, Vistry Partnerships, Caddick Developments and Countryside Properties to support the development of upwards of 2,000 new homes.

Andrew Fairburn, director of RWO’s Leeds office, said: “Although we work across all sectors, we are building a strong reputation in the residential and affordable housing sector, winning and delivering projects for leading housebuilders and housing associations. Success is based around our ability to deliver services that add value and provide effective engineering solutions for complex problems.”

Scott Robinson, technical director at Taylor Wimpey, added: “RWO continues to be a key partner for us. Working alongside our in-house team, its engineers ensure projects like West Lane are delivered on time, as we continue to invest and expand to meet the huge demand across the region for high quality new homes.”

Dozens of planning authorities across the country are being forced to halt developments until they are able to guarantee they are ‘nutrient neutral’ and do not exacerbate the issue. The challenge is to design effective solutions to remove the impact of additional nutrients from new developments to protect the environment while building the homes the country needs.

The challenge from an engineering perspective is a tough but surmountable one. It relies on those involved in tackling the issue – from ecologists through to planners and surveyors to civil and structural engineers preparing their SuDs and drainage plans – working together in close harmony and cooperation to ensure effective and competitive solutions are forthcoming that offer workable solutions to the nutrient neutrality puzzle area by area.

Such an approach will undoubtedly contribute to facilitating the release of those existing housing currently on hold, while providing nervous housebuilders with the confidence to bring forward nascent development plans yet to be submitted for planning consent. In this way, such scalable and impactful solutions will see more and more people in ‘afflicted’ areas get the new homes they need and deserve.