Beginning in 2018, Fereday Pollard delivered full architecture and landscape design from concept to completion. Just one stop away from Chelmsford, the station forms part of the wider regeneration of the Beaulieu Park estate. It provides a flexible service with three platforms, more than 700 car parking spaces, a public transport interchange, more than 500 cycle spaces and a new track for passing trains.
The design establishes a strong sense of place that reflects the station’s parkland rather than urban setting, creating a gentle transition from parkland to platform. Clear and visible routes are prioritised on arrival and departure, with platforms connected by an Access for All (AfA) bridge and step free access via lifts. The low-profile pavilion form was shaped by careful planning considerations and sight-line studies, preserving the historic view between the Grade I listed New Hall School and Danbury Ridge. The pale red-grey station brick also references the tones of the school, and the oversailing glulam-timber roof is a defining feature, projecting beyond the concourse to form a generous perimeter canopy that provides shelter and civic presence.
Durable, permeable paving and resin-bound gravel contribute to a Sustainable Urban Drainage System, while largely native woodland and wildflower meadow planting, hedgerows and flowering and fruiting species enhance natural beauty and ecological value for the seasonal enjoyment of people and wildlife. Towards the station, the planting becomes more formal, and includes ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials. The project achieved a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.
Chris McCarthy, Director at Fereday Pollard, said: “As the first new station built on the Great Eastern Main Line in over a century, Beaulieu Park Station represents a major step in the region’s regeneration, creating a vital connection for this fast-growing community. Our vision was to design a modern civic building rooted in its historic parkland landscape, creating a station that not only serves its transport function but also establishes a strong sense of place and arrival. Working in close collaboration with Network Rail, Arcadis and Murphy, the design also promotes active travel and accessibility, knitting the new station into its wider setting through well-connected pedestrian and cycle routes that extend into the surrounding residential development.”