SuDS Permeable Paving, Truckcell, Sevington Inland Border Facility, Ashford, Kent, UK

When Brexit terms were finally decided in 2020, the end to the freedom and movement of EU goods was agreed to begin from the 1st January 2021. HMRC therefore required an Inland Border Facility to be urgently mobilised to perform the new series of checks required on HGVs crossing the UK Border at the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel. This site acts as a location for checking movements of goods inbound (Defra and HMRC) and outbound (HMRC only).

Each location is to include parking areas for HGVs and other vehicles, with security measures and facilities to enable the checking of vehicles and goods entering and exiting the sites. There are also temporary office buildings, staff and driver welfare amenities.The design of the facility onto 48ha of former agricultural land was developed with a view to maintaining the landscape and biodiversity of the surrounding area and to screen views of the site from the local villages.

Excavated materials were sustainably reused as part of this process in order to create bunds, whilst surface water drainage of the site is directed to local wildlife ponds and wetlands via 30,000 square metres of aggregate filled Truckcell cellular paving.

The site is trafficked by up to 950 HGVs at any one time and provides a free-draining, sustainable and durable SuDS surface to withstand the traffic levels without damage or abrasion.

Throughout the project, ABG’s in house technical team provided design guidance and site installation support for the customer. Truckcell is a heavy duty cellular paving system manufactured from 100% recycled and recyclable plastic, capable of sustaining frequent HGV loads up to GVW 60 and 10 tonne wheels loads. It can be filled with angular gravel (as was the case on this project) or topsoil and grass seeded, according to the application.