BE Design offer Geo-Environmental Services to support a scheme from initial Due Diligence through to Completion. We can work with clients to understand their requirements and, in turn, provide preliminary site assessments and early design solutions to manage the ground risk effectively.

Our team are experts in the regulatory process and can offer planning advice at any stage of development, including expert witness services to support planning appeals. Similarly, we can undertake technical reviews and provide a second opinion with a view to delivering pragmatic value engineering and helping the client manage challenging project requirements. The team works across a variety of sectors, including industrial, commercial, education and residential, and is proud to unlock value on brownfield regeneration sites with complex ground conditions.

Our specialist team of geotechnical engineers can provide ground engineering support from recommendations on foundation options as part of the due diligence process through to detailed geotechnical advice, earthworks design and settlement analysis. We will also organise and supervise any associated ground investigations, as well as providing site presence during the validation of earthworks or ground improvement activities.

The team also has substantial experience of sites with a history of coal mining. Through extensive assessment and investigation, we can work with the client team to unlock value in these complex coal mining legacy sites. We can liaise with specialist contractors to determine the most pragmatic approach to remediation and grouting.

Geotechnical Services

Preliminary Ground Conditions Report – Comprehensive review of existing geological, geotechnical and environmental data to provide an initial assessment of site conditions, enabling early-stage decision-making and scoping of subsequent site investigations

Earthworks Design, Specification, and Validation – Development of practical, cost-effective earthworks strategies, including specifications for site preparation, cut-and-fill optimisation, compaction requirements and quality assurance processes.

Services also include validation testing during and post-construction to verify that the ground improvement meets required standards and project performance criteria.

Geotechnical Assessment and Foundation Recommendations – Detailed analysis of ground investigation results to provide recommendations tailored to the project requirements. This covers the selection and design of suitable foundations (including shallow and deep foundations), ground-bearing floor slabs, earthwork specifications, settlement predictions, pavement design, and infiltration feasibility.

Geotechnical Investigations – Design and execution of site-specific geotechnical investigations, including boreholes, trial pits, in- situ testing and sampling procedures, performed to industry standards

Geotechnical Design Reports – Preparation of formal design reports that include advanced analysis of specific geotechnical issues such as settlement, slope stability, or ground movement.

Reports are supported by numerical modelling, risk assessments and compliance with relevant national and international codes, ensuring robust, constructible solutions and clear communication with project stakeholders.

Ground Improvement Strategies – Evaluation and implementation of ground improvement techniques—such as soil stabilisation, ground reinforcement and densification—to address problematic soils or challenging site conditions. Our approach combines technical innovation with best- practice construction methods to deliver reliable, sustainable ground solutions while minimizing environmental impact and lifecycle costs.

Geo-Environmental Services

Our team delivers a comprehensive suite of contaminated land assessment and management services, ensuring compliance with planning policy and the Environment Agency’s Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM) guidance. Services include:

• Phase I Preliminary Risk Assessment: Desk-based studies to review historical land use, regulatory records, and environmental data, developing an initial conceptual site model to identify potential sources of contamination and inform next steps.
• Intrusive Ground Investigation & Reporting: Targeted sampling, boreholes, and laboratory analysis to characterise soil, groundwater, and gas conditions, providing robust data for risk assessment and regulatory reporting.
• Phase II Land Contamination Assessment (GQRA): Generic Quantitative Risk Assessments using collected data to evaluate likely risks to human health, controlled waters, and the environment, benchmarked against standard criteria.
• Ground Gas Risk Assessments: Measurement and interpretation of ground gas concentrations to assess explosion and inhalation risks, supporting appropriate mitigation design.
• Detailed Quantitative Risk Assessment (DQRA): Advanced modelling and derivation of site-specific assessment criteria to quantify risks identified by GQRA, tailored to individual site conditions and receptors.
• Piling Risk Assessments: Specialist evaluation of contamination and ground conditions to assess risks from piling and penetrative ground improvement, ensuring safe and compliant foundation solutions.
• Remediation Strategy & Validation: Development of site-specific remediation strategies addressing identified contamination, with clear objectives, mitigation methods, and post-remediation validation to demonstrate achievement of cleanup goals.
• Environmental Impact Assessment Input: Expertise supporting EIA submissions with robust contaminated land assessments and clear, defensible technical advice across all project stages.

Coal Mining Risk Assessment and Investigation

• Identification and evaluation of coal mining legacy risks, using historical data, geological records and mapping.
• Desk-based review of Coal Authority reports, plans, and previous investigations to establish ground risk.
• Intrusive ground investigations—such as borehole drilling, rotary probing and gas monitoring—to quantify hazards and inform safe development.
• Risk assessment of potential hazards, including subsidence, gas migration, ground instability and mine entry collapse.
• Clear reporting of coal mining risks with guidance for further investigation or mitigation, ensuring compliance with planning authorities

Coal Mining Treatment Strategy and Drill & Grout Specification

• Development and delivery of tailored remediation strategies to address coal mining risks and ensure site stability for construction.
• Design and specification of drill and grout solutions for stabilising shallow mine workings and voids.
• Preparation of technical requirements for drilling, grouting and quality control, targeting subsidence, gas hazards and ground collapse.
• Management of remediation works, overseeing contractor compliance, documentation and validation.

• Installation of supplementary measures, such as shaft capping or gas barriers, as needed.
• Completion and submission of validation reports confirming safe, regulator-compliant site conditions.

BE Design offers expert development of Materials Management Plans (MMPs) in close collaboration with design teams from initial project stages. These plans focus on minimising waste disposal and maximising the sustainable reuse of soils and materials on site. Our approach includes detailed assessment of material composition and geo-environmental quality to design effective handling, treatment and disposal strategies where necessary.

Notably, our Geo-Environmental Director holds Qualified Person status under CL:AIRE’s Definition of Waste Code of Practice (DoWCoP), ensuring all MMPs meet rigorous regulatory standards and facilitate non-waste classification of excavated materials. This expertise helps clients optimise resource use, reduce environmental impact and maintain full compliance through all phases of earthworks and development.