Case Study Coldharbour Farm Wetland Creation Building water resilience through nature-based solutions Client: Coldharbour Farm, Kent The Brief FGS Pilcher was appointed to deliver a major wetland creation and river restoration scheme within the Upper River Beult catchment in Kent, following a successful competitive tender. FGS Pilcher, working alongside Habitat Regeneration, the South East Rivers…
Case Study River Beult Wetland Creation & Natural Flood Management Delivering nature-based solutions for long-term water resilience Client: South East Rivers Trust, Southern Water & the Upper Beult Farm Cluster The Brief FGS Pilcher was appointed to deliver a major wetland creation and river restoration scheme within the Upper River Beult catchment in Kent, following…
Case Study Reservoir Construction Supporting Water Resilience at Clock House Farm Building long-term water security for one of Kent’s leading fruit farms Client: Clock House Farm, Kent The Brief Clock House Farm, a long-standing customer of FGS Pilcher, is one of Kent’s leading fruit producers, investing in long-term water resilience to support sustainable crop production…
Case Study Land Drainage Installation Client: Ferry Inn, Stone-in-Oxney, Kent Background The British pub industry continues to evolve as operators adapt to changing customer expectations and operating conditions. Many businesses are exploring new ways to make the most of their available space, with diversification becoming an increasingly popular way to enhance the customer experience and…
Case Study Trenching for Utilities (Electricity & Water) Client: Gusbourne Vineyard Background Many of FGS Pilcher’s vineyard clients are located in some of the most picturesque parts of Kent, making them ideal settings for alfresco dining, drinking, and large outdoor events. The award-winning Gusbourne Vineyard is no exception, boasting outstanding outdoor facilities and far-reaching views…
Case Study Playground & Access Improvements Creating a safer, more accessible and inclusive space for all users. Overview FGS Pilcher was appointed to support the improvement of Pluckley Recreation Ground, delivering new pathway infrastructure as part of a wider community-led project to upgrade the playground and site accessibility. Following nearly three years of planning and…
Case Study Ornamental Pond Restoration Client: Private client in East Sussex Overview A private client in East Sussex required the restoration of a long-established ornamental garden pond that had become heavily silted, with an ageing liner that had deteriorated and failed in several areas. The pond sits within a carefully maintained landscaped garden containing mature…
Case Study Boys Hall Car Park Upgrade Car Park Upgrade & Surfacing, Ashford, Kent Background Boys Hall is a prestigious restaurant and hotel in Ashford, where presentation, access, and guest experience are paramount. To maintain these standards, an upgrade to the existing car park was required, with works needing to be completed within an extremely…
Brief FGS Pilcher was engaged to deliver enabling works, civils support, and site infrastructure for a nationally significant solar project on the North Kent Peninsula. Spanning over 800 acres, the scheme forms part of the UK’s commitment to clean, large-scale renewable energy. The Challenge The project required delivery within a sensitive coastal landscape, with strict…
Case Study Sustainable Water Level Management for Wetland Habitat Delivering sustainable water management to strengthen wetland habitats and improve resilience to drought Client: RSPB The Brief FGS Pilcher was appointed by the RSPB to design and install a sustainable, off-grid water level management system at one of its wetland nature reserves. The project formed part…
Brief The Big Cat Sanctuary required the design and construction of new enclosures to house five African lions rescued from Ukraine. The enclosures needed to provide a secure, enriched environment tailored to the lions’ physical and psychological needs, while meeting high standards of animal welfare and safety. The project also needed to be completed in…
Brief Kent Wildlife Trust planned to develop a 2-hectare wetland area at Upper Mystole Farm, near Canterbury, with work scheduled from June to October 2024. The project brief included excavating land, managing vegetation, installing drainage systems, and constructing ponds across multiple wetland areas with adherence to precise ecological specifications. The work also required handling materials…
Brief Sussex Wildlife Trust and National Highways joined forces for a ‘Network for Nature’ project to restore the Pevensey Levels into a thriving biodiverse wetland, benefiting people, nature and wildlife. Once one of the UK’s great biodiverse wetlands, the decline at the Pevensey Levels had been driven by water changes, increased extraction, and climate change,…
As part of Heathcote Holdings, FGS Pilcher benefits from having a close working relationship with other companies within the group. In a recent vineyard creation project, ground preparation, soil analysis and more were required which alongside our sister company, FGS Organics, we are able to provide fully in house. This collaboration led to 7.5 acres…
Case Study Dairy Infrastructure Upgrade Enhancing operational efficiency at Kent dairy farm Client: SE Lane & Partners, Kent The Brief FGS Pilcher undertook construction and enabling works to support the upgrade of dairy infrastructure at S.E. Lane & Partners, a working dairy farm in Kent. The project was part of a broader transition from smaller…
Case Study North Kent Wetland Creation Delivering freshwater grazing habitat enhancement for solar park Client: Cleve Hill Solar Park, Kent The Brief FGS Pilcher was appointed to deliver a 91-acre wetland creation project at Graveney, Kent, forming part of the Landscape and Biodiversity Management Plan for the nationally significant Cleve Hill Solar Park development. Located…
Case Study Island Creation at Burrowes Pit, Dungeness Enhancing habitat provision while maintaining accessibility at visitor attraction Client: RSPB, Dungeness, Kent Overview FGS Pilcher were contracted by the RSPB to deliver an island creation project at Burrowes Pit, within the RSPB Dungeness reserve. As a well-visited public nature reserve, the site attracts birdwatchers and visitors…
We have undertaken a natural flood management project within ancient woodland along two tributaries to the river Beult, near Shadoxhurst, Kent. The works involved backfilling overly deepened channels, regrading them to create wider and shallower channels, whilst using trees felled from the site to create silt traps and natural barriers. These works helped to slow…
Case Study Construction of Commercial Buildings at Barton Business Park Turnkey solution utilising in-house team and specialist subcontractors Client: Barton Business Park, Canterbury, Kent Overview FGS Pilcher acted as Principal Contractor and Project Manager for the phased construction of five commercial buildings at Barton Business Park on the outskirts of Canterbury. The four-year brownfield development…
FGS Pilcher have undertaken a large project for the RSPB at the Seasalter Levels in Whitstable, Kent. We restored a large part of the wetland area within the levels. Over the past few years, the levels have been dry especially during the spring when they should be wet. The grant funded project was part of…
We have been undertaking hole drilling in preparation for new orchard trees to be planted. Using our specialist wide track, low ground pressure excavator we were able to travel up the rows leaving no mess or ruts. Using the auger attachment, we had to drill around 20,000 holes for a new section of apple orchard…
Using our specialist long reach machine, we were able to de-silt the ponds and re-shape them.
Following a fire within the bulky waste bay in 2019, it was recognised that the existing facilities at the site were inadequate. With the assistance of Countrystyle, Buckinghamshire Council required a standalone storage facility to meet EA guidance they have set out.
The fire at Stanford Bridge Farm in November 2019 saw the destruction of three cattle buildings. FGS Pilcher undertook construction work to rebuild the barns to ensure the safe housing of the cattle over winter.
FGS Pilcher have undertaken several recent projects for SE Lane and Partners. This included modernising the farm facilities of the dairy herd.
We were tasked to work with Natural England at the Stodmarsh Nature reserve, an internationally important mixture of reed beds, fens, ditches, wet grassland and open water.
We have been undertaking regular work for the Romney Marsh Area Internal Drainage Board (RMAIDB). Our specialist long reach excavator, with weed cutting bucket, enabled us to reach even the deepest of drainage channels with ease.
Last year we undertook some ditching work using grant money from The Fifth Continent scheme in partnership with the Kent Wildlife Trust. The Fifth Continent Landscape Partnership Scheme seeks to deliver a number of exciting projects based around three key themes to Restore, Rediscover and Reclaim Romney Marsh.
Earlier this year we worked on a project with South East Rivers Trust in partnership with the National Trust. The project involved the restoration of a floodplain meadow.
One of our latest Civils projects. We worked with Michael and Peter Sargent at S E Lane, Biddenden to convert an existing farm building into a milking parlour and cubicle building. The project, which also involved installing a flushing water system, is now completed and being used by its new residents!
We have been undertaking estate maintenance and boundary maintenance in Bethersden. We used our excavator mounted cut and grab tree saw to undertake controlled high rise, controlled tree management.
