Henley Gate

About this project

Henley Gate will be a new community of 1,100 homes located north of Ipswich in Suffolk, marking the first of three neighbourhoods that will make up the Ipswich Garden Suburb. BDC was appointed as structural engineering consultants for the detailed design of the houses, apartment blocks, local centre, and visitor centre for the new country park.

The site’s geological conditions were variable, with soft ground to significant depths and bands of peat in certain areas. Additionally, there was a history of quarrying on the site. To address these challenges, BDC worked closely with the geotechnical engineer to assess the varying ground conditions and develop a detailed foundation strategy aimed at minimising the need for deep foundations.

The local centre consists of apartments above retail space on the ground floor, supported by a reinforced concrete slab. BDC collaborated with the architect to minimise the depth of the floor zone and maintain a flat soffit, helping to reduce formwork and fit-out costs.

The visitor centre features large glazed sections and was constructed using an exposed laminated timber frame with bespoke dowelled joints, supported by a shallow reinforced concrete raft foundation. This design creates a striking, sustainable structure that blends well with its natural surroundings.