A practical partnership for place, people and growth

Working in partnership to create the Rolls-Royce of family-friendly neighbourhoods.

We’ve been working with landowner Rolls-Royce for more than a decade in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire to build a brighter future for its former RAF Hucknall Airfield site.

There was a massive opportunity here to build on the heritage of this important site and create a place that would positively contribute to the economy of the area and create a new thriving residential community for years to come.

We developed a masterplan, and put planning in place, delivering the infrastructure and highways so it could take off. Alongside 975 new homes and 800,000 sq ft of employment space, we’ve now created the things a real community needs – green open space, a children’s playground, a new primary school, a care home and a local shop.

Employers have also seen the benefits of co-locating in this thriving community. RM Educational Resources are now operational at Harrier Park, making the most of their new 200,000 sq ft headquarters and distribution space.

Making places that lift us up and create meaningful legacies requires collaborating with the best and working with partners to deliver a shared vision for a brighter future. Here, we worked closely with our partners at Rolls-Royce, Ashfield District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council to engage with local people, and to understand what the area needed.

A strong and lasting partnership

There are always obstacles and hurdles to overcome, but having good partners with shared goals gives us the opportunity to create meaningful and lasting change.

Our relationship with Rolls-Royce is longstanding and began back in 2002 when we delivered a complex new 540,000 sq ft aerospace manufacturing facility in Glasgow. This included managing a complex transfer of manufacturing equipment from an existing facility without interrupting deliveries.

When they were looking for a developer to work with on their 300-acre former airfield at Hucknall, we stood out as the partner of choice, with the capability to deliver placemaking on a grand scale, including infrastructure, employment space to provide jobs, housing, green space and community facilities.

We worked closely over many years to create a real growing community, with all of the necessary social and physical infrastructure needed to succeed. This was seamlessly set around Rolls-Royce’s ongoing business operations on site, at their 24/7 aerospace manufacturing factory.

Having the combined vision and desire to work collaboratively, helps you to see beyond bricks and mortar, to create kinder, better places for community.

Robert Orgill, Property Manager, Rolls-Royce plc said:

Long term stewardship

One thing both partners were committed to was long-term stewardship, and pushing the envelope to create a great place that is built to last. It was this goal which meant we were able to create a well-functioning and healthy neighbourhood, whilst also preserving areas for generations to come.

Enhancing green and public spaces was a priority here. We worked with The Land Trust, who took over the management of public realm and green spaces to ensure its long-term success.

Through our work together, we have managed to create a site rich in biodiversity. On site sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are delivering several environmental benefits, improving air quality and reducing carbon, while also reducing flood risk in the area.

Wildflower meadows have become a haven for butterflies and a section of the old runway is designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

So what’s next?

We’ve recently submitted planning applications for the next phases at Harrier Park, totalling more than 570,000 sq ft employment space in a range of building to meet local, regional and national employment needs with capacity to become the home for thousands of jobs.

We want to be a catalyst for further innovation, continuing the legacy of what has been seen here for nearly a century.

Our community-focused approach to regeneration is about bringing people and place together, while at the same time creating opportunities for everyone to thrive and prosper.

We’re committed, along with our partners, to creating a sustainable place and leaving a long-term positive legacy.