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Indicative rates for paving and landscape
PavementsUnitCost £
All rates allow for any sub-bases/foundations  
Gravel; river or pit; washed; 63 mm thickm215-28
Resin-bonded gravel; 63 mm thickm230-45
Pea shinglem216-21
Dense bitumen macadam to pavements; 60 mm thick overall; sub-basem213-17
Precast concrete flag paving; 65 mm thickm220-35
Precast concrete tactile flag paving; 65mm thickm237-42
Precast concrete blocks; 65 mm thick m225-40
Precast stone aggregate paving; 65 mm thickm250-75
Brick paving; herringbone patternm250-75
Concrete settsm240-50
Granite settsm280-150
York stone slab; 75 mm thickm290-125
Cobblestone; 50-75 mm diameterm280-110
Kerbs; concretem20-28
Kerbs; reconstituted stone m30-35
Kerbs; granitem50-100
Edgings; concretem10-18
Edgings; granitem40-80
Reinforced grassm225-30
Soft Landscaping  
Decking; timber joists and cedar decking boardsm255-80
Cultivation and seeding to informal landscaped areas; by handm23-13
Cultivation and seeding to informal landscaped areas; by machinem20.5-1
Extra for imported topsoilm22-4
Planting; seeded areasm23-5
Planting; turfed areasm25-10
Planted areas; bulbsm25-20
Planted areas; shrubbedm210-20
Planted areas; densem225-40
Trickle irrigation pipesm2-6
Tree pits; 1 × 1 × 1 m deep; machine dugnr55-65
Tree pits; 1 × 1 × 1 m deep; hand dugnr65-100
Tree anchoring system; trees to 7.5 m highnr20-55
Tree guards; wire mesh and stakesnr15-20
Tree grille in frame; 1.2 m diameternr250-750
Nursery stock trees; semi mature trees 20-25 cm girth:nr380-500
Nursery stock trees; semi mature trees 55-60 cm girthnr1250-1350
Street furniture  
(All rates include for supply, installation, and any fixings/foundations)  
Bollards; concretenr110-180
Bollards; cast ironnr185-550
Benches; timbernr450-1000
Benches; concretenr250-400
Litter bins; galvanized metal; on pole upstandnr50-100
Litter bins; cast iron; on pole upstandnr300-800
Cycle racksnr50-300
Tree planters; stand alone; precast concrete; 2 m dia × 235 mm highnr320-380
Pedestrian direction signagenr100-500
Fencing and security measures  
(All rates include foundations)  
Steel railings/guardrailsm50-70
Chestnut pale fencing; 900 cm-1.2 m highm7-10
Close boarded softwood fencing; concrete posts; 1.35-1.8 m highm20-30
Chainlink fencing; 1.2-1.8 m highm20-40
Galvanized steel palisade fencing; 2.5 m highm80-95
Manual, folding parking postnr180-230
Manual telescopic bollardnr650-700
Automatic rising roadway blocker; card access controlnr16,000-18,000
Water features  
Formation of lake; excavation to 1.5 m maximum, off-site spoil disposal; butyl liner and blinding layer; top soil layer and plantingm250-90
Indicative rates for civils and services infrastructure
Rates for heavy civils and services infrastructure are appropriate for infrastructure projects in excess of £10m. The rates are current for the fourth quarter 2003, based on a South-east location. They include preliminaries, but exclude professional fees and VAT.
Primary road infrastructure
The development of business parks, distribution centres and large-scale housing schemes can involve the construction of roads designed for heavy traffic flows or for adoption by the local authority. Indicative costs of roads and associated features are set out below.
Roads  
Two lane road 7.3 m wide, rural locationm 1100-1400
Extra for; featuresnr500
Two lane road 7.3 m wide, urban link roadm1550-2000
Extra for; featuresnr700
Four lane road, dual carriageway, 25.6 m wide overall, rural locationm1500-1800
Extra for; featuresnr1400
Four lane road,dual carriageway, 23.1 m wide overall, urban locationm1500-1750
Extra for; featuresnr2300
Costs are based on normal ground conditions and include earthworks, drainage, pavements, lighting, signs, fencing and safety barriers (where necessary). The maximum depth of cut assumed is 1 m. Costs of features such as interchanges, side roads, bridges, culverts, gantries and retaining walls and so on are not included and are given as an average extra over cost for f
Civil structures  
Road bridge; insitu concrete  
15 m maximum span between abutmentsm21150-1250
20 m maximum span between abutmentsm21100-1300
Road bridge; insitu concrete with precast concrete beams  
12 m maximum span between abutmentsm21200-1300
17 m maximum span between abutmentsm21100-1200
27 m maximum span between abutmentsm21050-1150
Road bridge; insitu concrete with prefabricated steel beams  
20 m maximum span between abutmentsm21100-1250
40 m maximum span between abutmentsm21050-1200
Footbridge; insitu concrete with precast concrete beams  
10 m maximum span between abutmentsm2950-1000
Extra overcost of features constructed as part of the road construction programme  
Pedestrian underpass, 3 × 2.5 m highm3500-4500
Vehicle underpass, 7 × 5 m highm16,500-20,000
Costs include excavation, concrete works, deck waterproofing and finishings and parapet. Rates are based on the area of the bridge deck.
Road crossings and signage  
Roundabout, traffic signal controllednr60,000-80,000
Four-way traffic signal installationnr38,000-55,000
Zebra crossingnr4500-5000
Pelican crossingnr12,000-18,000
Costs include road markings, beacons, luminaires and signs  
Traffic signage; reflectivenr100-170
Traffic signage; internally illuminatednr200-270
Traffic signage; externally illuminatednr450-1350
Ground remediation and stabilisation  
Remediation  
Removalm3 55-165
Clean cover (rate based on area of site)m225-55
On-site encapsulation (rate based on volume of material)m3 25-90
Bio-remediation (rate based on mass of treated material)t35-95
Soil washing (rate based on mass of treated material)t45-95
Soil flushing (rate based on mass of treated material)t65-120
Vacuum extraction (rate based on mass of treated material)t55-120
Thermal treatment (rate based on mass of treated material)t825-1300
Stabilisation  
Erosion control mat; topsoilm24-6
Revetment; stone filled mattress gabions, 1 m thickm250-85
Revetement; grasscrete; drainage layer, topsoil, seedm235-45
Retaining wall; timber cribwallm2110-230
Retaining wall; precast concrete cribwallm2210-260
Retaining wall; precast concrete; completem2270-330
Retaining wall; in-situ concrete; completem2330-400
On-site roads, drainage and car parking  
Site roads and drainage  
Indicative costs of road and drainage infrastructure for housing, retail or industrial development
Medium duty highway construction  
4% road densityha30,000-38,000
6.5% road densityha50,000-60,000
Heavy-duty highway construction  
4% road densityha35,000-45,000
6.5% road densityha58,000-68,000
Costs based on the overall site area. Costs of car parking are excluded.
Land and site drainage  
Site drainage; (rate based on paved area)m25-18
Building drainage; (rate based on gifa)m26-15
Land drainage to parkland at 30 m centres and main runs at 100 m centresha3000-3300
Land drainage to sportsfields at 10 m centres and main runs at 33 m centresha8000-9000
Costs include for excavation and backfilling of trenches and laying clay drain pipes with 75 mm diameter laternal runs average 60 mm deep; 100 mm diameter main runs average 750 mm deep.
Car parking  
Surface car parking (20-22 m2 per car)m250-75
Surface car parking; landscaped (22-24 m2 per car)m280-110
Grade and upper-level car parking (24-30 m2 per car)m2150-250
Multistorey flat slab (24-30 m2 per car)m2270-340
Semi basement with natural ventilation (24-30 m2 per car)m2350-410
Lighting  
Lighting to roads; 12-15 m columnsnr600-750
Lighting to pedestrian areas; bollardnr550-750
Recessed ground lightsnr250-1000
All rates include excavation; power supply and controls.  
Below ground services  
Services laid in trenches including excavation  
Water main   
PVCu water main; 75 mm; in 150 mm cast iron pipe as ductm45-80
Electric main   
600/1000 V cable, 100 mm clayware duct; granular bed and surround m28-35
On site LV distribution   
Armoured LV cable in trench; 3 core 2.5 mm cable;   
trench backfilled with excavated materialm8-15
Gas main   
MDPE pipe; 150 mm; on granular bed and surroundm40-60
Telecommunications   
PVCu duct; 4 × 100 mm; on granular bed and surround;   
backfill with excavated material; marker tapem20-35
Drainage   
Slot drain; galvanized steel channel; stainless steel coverm90-150
Clay/PVCua pipework; 100/150 mm;   
on granular bed and surround; up to 3 m deepm35-45
Cast iron pipework; 100/150 mm;   
on concrete bed and surround; up to 3 m deepm60-90
Clay pipework; 300 mm; on granular bed and surround;   
up to 3 m deepm85-100
Concrete pipework; 450 mm; on granular bed; up to 3 m deepm100-120
Concrete pipework; 900 mm; on granular bed; up to 3 m deepm140-170
Inspection chambers; brick; 900-1500 mm deep;  
including concrete cover slab and cast iron cover and framenr700-1000
Precast concrete inspection chambers; 1.5 m dia × 900-1.5 m deep;   
concrete cover slab; cast iron cover and framenr1000-1200
Extra over inspection chambers for reessed coversnr130-350
Road gully; vitrified clay or precast concrete; cast iron grating;   
concrete surround; 450 × 900 mm deep nr170-200
High voltage electicity  
11 kV overhead power lines (cost per run)km30,000-40,000
11 kV underground power lines (cost per run)km95,000-105,000
Regional variations
All costs in this article are based on schemes located in the South-east. The location factors can be used to adjust cost for projects in other areas. Care should be taken in applying the location factors to items where a high proportion of the cost is related to products or materials that do not vary in cost depending on the location of the work.
Inner London1.13
Outer London1.06
South-east1.00
South-west0.93
East Midlands0.91
West Midlands0.91
East Anglia0.95
Yorkshire & Humberside0.88
North-west0.91
North 0.90
Scotland0.91
Wales0.91
Northern Ireland0.78
Business park infrastructure: benchmark costs
 Lower rangeHigher rangeLowest costAverage costHighest cost
 £/ha £/ha£/ha £/ha £/ha
Earthmoving30,000330,00030,000170,000330,000
Roads and parking220,0001,490,000220,000550,0001,490,000
Drainage30,00030,00025,00030,00035,000
Services280,000640,000200,000380,000640,000
Landscaping625,000360,000100,000520,000800,000
Total cost per ha£1,185,000£2,850,000n/an/a 
Costs are at fourth quarter 2003 price levels based upon an South-east location. Preliminaries and contingencies are included, allowances for professional fees and VAT are excluded.
The costs are based on a survey of a number of business park projects and represent a typical range rather absolute maximum and minimum costs. The costs exclude infrastructure work to development plots. Costs of demolition and land remediation are also excluded. Car parking, and ancillary buildings and costs of works beyond the immediate site boundary, including services connections, section 106 and 278 works are included.
Business park infrastructure: benchmark costs
 Lower rangeHigher rangeLowest costAverage costHighest cost
 £/ha £/ha£/ha £/ha £/ha
Earthmoving30,000330,00030,000170,000330,000
Roads and parking220,0001,490,000220,000550,0001,490,000
Drainage30,00030,00025,00030,00035,000
Services280,000640,000200,000380,000640,000
Landscaping625,000360,000100,000520,000800,000
Total cost per ha£1,185,000£2,850,000n/an/an/a
Costs are at fourth quarter 2003 price levels based upon an South-east location. Preliminaries and contingencies are included, allowances for professional fees and VAT are excluded.
The costs are based on a survey of a number of business park projects and represent a typical range rather absolute maximum and minimum costs. The costs exclude infrastructure work to development plots. Costs of demolition and land remediation are also excluded. Car parking, and ancillary buildings and costs of works beyond the immediate site boundary, including services connections, section 106 and 278 works are included.