The Mindenhurst team spent a week supporting the newest members of the Mindenhurst community, Lakeside School. The team hosted a full week of activities for pupils to enjoy as part of Healthy Surrey’s Feeling Good Week.

This year’s Feeling Good Week took place between 9 October and 13 October 2023, it is an annual event which supports Surrey’s Healthy Schools Approach to wellbeing, health, and achievement, focused on prioritising our own and other people’s physical, mental, and emotional health.

This year’s theme was ‘I can… We can…’ and was centred on the value of collaboration. The Mindenhurst team delivered a series of construction-themed activities which revolved around working together to achieve more and taking care of one another.

The week kicked off with an assembly, linking the values of Feeling Good Week to construction safety. The assembly encouraged students to look out for others, and to speak up if they are worried about someone or if they spot a hazard.

The Mindenhurst team led a building exercise for years 1-6 which highlighted the benefits of both working together and making sure everyone is included. This was followed by a bug hunt for reception children, delivered in partnership with Surrey Wildlife Trust, to highlight the importance of being kind to others and the world around them.

Niki Dufour, Community Relations Manager at Mindenhurst, said: “It was brilliant to see the students working together, and learning the importance of looking out for each other all whilst having fun. We really enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with Lakeside School so thank you for having us!”

Stacey Wilkinson, Year 1 Teacher, and Mental Health Lead said: “It was so nice to see all the children working collaboratively and sharing resources to make some amazing creations. It was a great opportunity for them to listen to each other’s views and develop their understanding of ways to support each other with a fantastic open-ended task. Thank you so much!”

Lakeside School is a brand-new facility in the heart of Mindenhurst, boasting 14 classrooms all with adjoining bathrooms and a range of facilities to support pupils and staff, including: two halls, a music room, modern kitchen, student cookery room, library, medical bay, and staff room.

We are excited to announce that we will soon begin archaeological investigations at two sites in Mindenhurst.

We will have a specialist team of archaeologists on site examining these areas, looking for items of archaeological and historical interest. It is essential to carry out this work before development takes place to ensure that we preserve and protect our cultural heritage.

It will be fascinating to see what they uncover since it will contribute to our collective understanding of the past and evidence how the area has changed over time.

Where will this take place?

Back in 2015, Cotswold Archaeology carried out a site wide archaeological survey, looking into the history of Deepcut and highlighting particular sites of interest. Based on their findings a programme of archaeological work was agreed and approved by the Surrey Heath Borough Council.
In their initial survey the archaeologists excavated test pits which helped identify areas that have archaeological potential and it is these areas that will be the focus of this archaeological investigation.
The plan below shows the two areas where these investigations will take place. Both areas are sites of future residential housing within the Mindenhurst Development and we are required to undertake this programme of work before the land is developed.
As you can see from the plan below, the archaeologists will carry out an extensive investigation by excavating trenches across the entirety of both sites. In preparation for this work, we therefore need to clear the site and remove trees. This will be done in line with our planning permission and we will be working with experienced ecologists from Surrey Wildlife Trust to ensure that all necessary measures have been taken to protect local wildlife.

What are they looking for?

It is hard to anticipate what might be found during investigations, however by understanding how Deepcut has evolved over time, this will provide us with a better idea.
The earliest recorded history dates back to the Roman era, when the area was part of the extensive road network connecting London to the south coast. However, there is no firm evidence that people lived in the area until post-medieval times (AD1500-1900).
In the 19th century the area was characterised by extensive open heathland and woods, with small clusters of housing and sporadic farmland. The British Army began to use the area of heathland around Chobham Common for training and exercises, however it wasn’t until 1900 when a semi-permanent camp of demountable buildings was built.
The extension of the Bisley Branch Railway Line through Deepcut to Blackdown in 1915 encouraged further expansion of the camp. During the two World Wars, Deepcut played a significant role and became a vital centre for military operations, housing allied forces from all over the world, and leaving a lasting impact on its landscape and community.
The historic interest of the site rests principally with its military history, so the archaeologists will be investigating these areas to see if any military training features might have survived in these areas.

How will they carry out their investigation?

A specialist archaeological contractor will carry out trail trenching at the locations shown on the previous plan. These trenches will be 30 metres in length and 1.8 metres wide and look similar to the example above. Initially the trenches will be excavated by a mechanical excavator, equipped with a toothless grading bucket, however work will continue by hand if they reveal archaeological features.

What will happen to their finds?

Hopefully some interesting finds will be unearthed during their investigation. If so, these artefacts will be assessed, photographed, and conserved in accordance with the appropriate museum guidelines. Arrangements will be made with the appropriate museum for the deposition of the site archive and the artefact collection.
We will be working closely with the archaeologists throughout their investigations and will share information as soon as we have it, via our Facebook page, website, and monthly newsletter.

From Monday 21 to Friday 25 August the Mindenhurst team will be hosting our annual Wild Week.

Throughout the week we will be celebrating the natural world around us through a range of nature themed activities across Mindenhurst. We have a full week of free events and activities for the whole community to enjoy. Keep reading for our Wild Week schedule in full. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Mindenhurst team received an outstanding rating for the second year in a row, following the latest inspection carried out by assessors from nationally recognised Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS).  

Assessors reviewed the project in three key areas: respect for the community, care for the environment and valuing the site’s workforce. Across all three categories the project received the maximum score of 15, achieving a total score of 45 out of 45, the maximum possible score for the assessment.  

Three extra points were awarded for the project’s neurodiversity mentoring, a new initiative which protects local watercourses, and delivery of a sizeable, sustainable Bat Barn. This resulted in an overall score of 48 out of the maximum possible award of 50 points and the team achieving an ‘outstanding’ rating for the second year running.  

The report commended the project’s commitment to maintaining the natural environment, highlighting an impressive 120 new bat boxes which have been installed this year for habitat creation, and No Mow May which allowed wildflowers and grasses to bloom in support of pollinating insects. 

Mindenhurst has steadily improved its scoring and recognition awarded over recent years, from a very good rating in 2017 and 2018, excellent between 2019 and 2021, and outstanding in 2022. The achievement of the outstanding score again this year reflects the project’s longstanding commitment to placing the community at the heart of the project and valuing its hardworking site staff.  

The recent assessment report stated: “The development continues to leave an excellent impression of the industry and aims of the scheme. The company is to be commended on their net zero commitment on carbon and the project team have clearly involved the local community and encourage them to contribute and help enrich their natural environment”.  

The report commended the team’s commitment to supporting neurodiverse colleagues in the workplace. As part of Mindenhurst’s commitment to the wellbeing of its workforce and diversity, inclusion and belonging, Senior Construction Manager Carianne McIntosh provides individual support and guidance to individuals with neurodiversity’s such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia. She also gives regular presentations to the project team and the wider business on the subjects of stress, mental health, and Neurodiversity. The presentations highlight to managers the adjustments that can be made in the workplace and the importance of on-site training and instruction to raise awareness of sensitive issues.  

Responding to the report, Leisliane Garcia, Development Director at Mindenhurst, said: “We are delighted to receive recognition from the Considerate Constructors Scheme. We are committed to protecting the local natural environment, engaging with the local community and to supporting our hardworking project team and are pleased that our continued work and commitments are being recognised.” 

Mindenhurst is a ten-year development project which will transform the former Ministry of Defence Deepcut site to deliver 1,200 homes surrounded by substantial open space and accessible woodland as well as a new village green, formal park and sports pitches. 

Major upgrade works along Deepcut Bridge Road are starting soon, marking the start of an exciting new phase of Mindenhurst. Once complete these works will bring significant benefits, creating a thriving village centre which links the new and existing communities. In addition to greater access and improving the appearance, this area will be safer and easier to use for road users, cyclists, and pedestrians.

As part of these works, we will be enhancing the road by adding a shared pedestrian and cycle way, adding pedestrian crossings, widening the carriage way in some areas, and installing parking bays along the road to support traffic flow and help ease congestion.

We will begin works on 4th September and remove some trees along the eastern side of the road. We understand the concerns that may arise due to such activities, therefore I would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that we are doing this in line with our planning permission and all necessary measures have been taken to protect the local wildlife, particularly nesting birds and bat roosts. I want to emphasize that this tree felling is an essential component of the improvement works aimed at enhancing the area for the benefit of the entire community. However, we fully recognize the importance of preserving the natural environment, experienced ecologists have carried out wildlife surveys, our contractors have been instructed to adhere to strict guidelines during the felling process.

The enabling work will be followed by construction which will take approximately 10 – 12 months. To facilitate this work and to ensure the safety of everyone involved, we will need to close one carriage way at a time starting with the southbound carriageway, closest to the Church. Northbound traffic will continue to use Deepcut Bridge Road while southbound traffic will be diverted down Mindenhurst Road.

We will provide regular updates on our website throughout the whole project so please check there to find the latest news. We understand that these works will cause disruption but we want to assure you that access to businesses and homes will be retained throughout construction. If anyone has any concerns please get in touch with us at hello@mindenhurst.co.uk.