The site was formerly used for sand and gravel extraction and following cessation of the activities,
the park was used as a watersports and outdoor activity centre. The lakes and woodland that lie to the north of the development site offer rich and diverse habitats that have formed the basis of their
designation as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and as RAMSAR and SPA sites.

The retail units comprise anchor stores for national retailers (up to 60,000 ft²), a range of unit sizes
up to 20,000 ft² and a 70,000 ft² garden centre. A 100-key hotel, leisure club, restaurants and a boathouse are included together with a visitor centre which provides information on Rushden and the Rushden Lakes SSSI/SPA/Ramsar site. Enhanced access is provided to the lakes and woodland both on and off site and a strategic link between Rushden and the “Greenway” network is provided by a new footbridge over the A45.

The whole design was subject to EIA and CampbellReith led, managed and authored the EIA
process both for the original applications and the 2015 update on this challenging site. In addition to our lead on the EIA, the project involved input from all engineering disciplines provided by CampbellReith to deliver the final planning solutions. Our ability to use in-house expertise in each of the required disciplines enabled a harmonized approach through the planning application and project cost plan processes.

This coordination was vital to the success of negotiations with the East Northamptonshire Council, the Environment Agency, Natural England and Anglian Water as the quantum of development,
ecological impact, flood risk, cut and fill volumes and drainage strategies are inextricably linked.
CampbellReith produced a Paramics model of the A45 Skew Bridge roundabout (which affords
access to the site) to enable improvement works to be designed and verified, and have played a key role in negotiations with the Highways Agency.