How do you build a school on made ground?

This site where Alkerden Educational Campus now sits was a chalk quarry from the late 1800s to the mid-20th century. To reach the chalk, they had to dig through layers of natural clay, sand and gravel. Once the quarrying stopped, all that excavated material was tipped back into the pit. Fast forward 50 years, and this made ground has been sitting there being compacted under its own weight.

As part of the wider masterplan, site levels were reduced by 18 metres, leaving well-consolidated ground at formation level. Although founding on made ground is usually avoided for major buildings, the conditions here were ideal, with excellent load-bearing capacity.