Welcoming in the new year: Q1 newsletter 2026

Hello from all at Rodgers Leask and welcome to our first quarterly newsletter of 2026 – the best place to find a summary of the projects, events and networking that has kept us busy across the first few months of the year.

As always, don’t forget, we’re also interested in hearing what you are working on and if we can support you. To get in touch with one of our team, email us at rlladmin@rodgersleask.co.uk or call 01332 285000.

To stay up to date with our latest news and project updates, make sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

Behind the scenes

We kicked off the year by returning to one of the highlights of the property calendar, with our director Stewart Friel and associate transport planner Joanna Reid attending the Land, Planning and Development Federation Annual Lunch in London. They had the chance to catch up with industry contacts and hear from LPDF Chairman Paul Brocklehurst and Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge, who were there to speak about the current outlook for land and planning. Having joined the LPDF as members in 2024, events like this continue to offer a brilliant platform for connecting with fellow professionals and we look forward to the next chance we have to attend.

Another firm fixture in the networking calendar, our Walk and Talk series got off to a successful start in Q1, with events at two of the Peak District’s most stunning locations. The teams headed out to Curbar Edge and Edale, to enjoy some fresh air and wonderful scenery, despite the lack of sunny weather, along with plenty of interesting industry chit chat. It’s always a pleasure to welcome clients, partners and colleagues to these walks, and remind people that networking is possible in a variety of different ways. If you would like to get involved, keep an eye on LinkedIn for updates on upcoming dates.

We also took the opportunity to reflect on the significant growth that our Nottingham office has seen in recent months. With new members joining the team, an office expansion and our involvement in several key local projects, we are firmly cementing ourselves within the East Midlands engineering landscape. You can read more about the office on our website here.

Industry Insights

Our long-standing involvement in New Lubbesthorpe continued in Q1, going from strength to strength. Having supported with delivery of the original primary school, which officially opened in 2019, we have subsequently been involved in a significant portion of the wider 4,250 home development – supporting the next chapter of development for the local community.

Our involvement on Indurent Park Lichfield marks another exciting addition to our growing industrial and logistics portfolio. The 484,000 sq ft development is progressing well, with the first phase set to deliver three premium units. Each will be aiming for BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC ‘A’ ratings. Our work on the scheme has included the full civil and structural detailed design, along with monitoring for the MMP and design of specialist retaining walls.

Another project we’re proud to have been part of in Q1 is the second phase of Devonshire Property Group’s Hartington Business Park in Staveley, where work has now commenced. Phase two will deliver 65,000 sq ft of new industrial space across 11 units, ranging from 2,700 to 12,960 sq ft. Our civil and structural teams have supported the development from planning stage through to construction, along with transport planning input to assist with discharge of planning conditions. During phase two we are undertaking site investigations, so keep your eyes peeled for further project updates soon.

We have recently worked with MADE Partnerships to support Godley Green Garden Village project by providing ground engineering and contaminated land consultancy services. Our work began with a gap analysis of the existing ground information to design and undertake a ground investigation for the whole site. Following the ground investigation, we prepared an interpretive ground investigation report and remediation strategy to support the project team in their successful planning application. We then prepared a geotechnical assessment report which allows for the drafting of a foundation zoning plan and an earthworks sequencing plan, taking into account settlement and slope risk. We’re pleased to see the project moving toward the initial phases of infrastructure and development, and we’re continue to assist the project team in mitigating the ground risks as the detailed layout is developed.

At the start of the quarter our director Howel Morris shared his detailed insight into one of the industry’s most persistent challenges in large scale development – sequencing material movement. Looking at how poor planning at the earthworks and foundations stage frequently leads to costly stockpiling and double handling of materials, Howel shared his thoughts on the issue, from why we see it happening so frequently through to how we tackle the issue by sequencing the masterplan. Read the piece in full on our website.

In the community

In April, two of our team, Thomas Bevan and Luke McWilliam, took on a new challenge – tackling Cumbria Way in support of Cancer Research UK. Over the course of 6 days, they took on a 75-mile trek involving 4,463m of elevation gain, major climbs including Stake Pass and High Pike and even detoured to the summits of Scafell Pike, Great Gable, and Skiddaw. Congratulations again to Tom and Luke and well done on raising over £700 for a great cause. The fundraising page is still open if you would like to donate: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/rodgers-leask-cumbria-way

Our geo-environmental and geo-technical teams continued their commitment to supporting the next generation of engineers in Q1, joining University of Birmingham students for the final session of this year’s Engineering Geology and Geomorphology: Site Investigation module. The team worked with the students over a two-month period going through a site appraisal report task, focusing on the problems associated with the Nanjing Longbridge Tunnels. Getting involved in the development of future engineers is so important for the long-term success of our industry, and it was a pleasure to help bridge the gap between studies and the professional work environment through these sessions.

Our principal transport planner Andy Miles returned to his university roots at the University of the West of England, to deliver his annual lecture to MSc Urban Planning students. Andy spoke with the cohort about transport planning, from the realities of working in the discipline to the key skills they need to develop. The talk was yet another fantastic example of sharing industry knowledge with younger generations to build interest and enthusiasm for careers in the built environment.

Our director Kriston Harvey also took a trip back to school, visiting Ashover Primary School to talk to the pupils about all things engineering. Each year the students get involved in an engineering challenge, and Kriston joined them for a learning session to help them prepare. From how he got started in the industry through to the benefits AI can bring to the job, the students used the session to discover more about engineering and set themselves up for success in their challenge.