Site Development
Taking a site from raw land to build-ready: surveys, remediation, enabling works and access.
Before the first foundation, a site needs to be understood, cleared and prepared. Our site development team de-risks that early phase, turning a plot into a safe, serviced, build-ready platform.
Getting this right protects the whole programme that follows.
Cornerstone Group provides civil engineering, structural design, site planning and full project management across the North West and beyond: a single site development partner who takes your project from initial planning to completion. Bringing every discipline into one programme reduces handovers and removes blockers from your schedule.
What’s included
What our site development services include
- Site surveys and investigation: assessing drainage, grading, erosion control, accessibility and environmental impact.
- Site clearing: removing trees, stumps, shrubs and debris to leave a clean, stable surface.
- Soil testing and geotechnical analysis: testing surface and subsurface soil to determine the foundation type your development needs.
- Grading and earthwork: levelling and excavation to prepare drainage gradients and prevent water-management problems.
- Utility services and connections: new connections and diversions planned in from the start.
- Sustainable design and decarbonisation: net-zero and sustainability requirements factored in at planning, with commercial solar and energy storage expertise.
Sectors we work with
Commercial, healthcare, industrial, leisure, education, heritage, retail, agricultural and public sector.
Why clients choose us
Multi-discipline delivery: civils, structural, utilities and project management in one programme; sustainability built in from day one; UK-wide services delivered from our Preston base across the North West; and honest consultations that set realistic expectations from the start.
Seen in our projects.
Built from the ground up.
Groundworks, structures and utilities delivered by our own site teams.
Guides and project stories.
Project spotlightProject spotlight: Fober Farm 17th-century barn restorationRestoring a 17th-century barn in the Forest of Bowland with traditional techniques, so it can work again for a farming family.Read the article 
Project spotlightProject spotlight: Greater Lancashire Hospital theatre expansionA new operating theatre, air-handling unit and backup generator, designed and built around a live hospital with minimal disruption.Read the article 
Project spotlightProject spotlight: Ye Horns Inn restoration and extensionHow a Grade II listed country pub that had fallen into disrepair was restored, extended and re-established as a community hub.Read the article Power your business with solar.
Our renewables team designs, installs and maintains commercial solar, storage and EV charging across the North West and the UK.
Site development questions answered.
Can't see your question here? Our team is happy to talk it through.
What does getting a site build-ready involve?
It usually starts with surveys and feasibility, ground investigation and soil testing, then moves on to remediation, site clearance, demolition and enabling works, access, and utilities. The aim is a safe, serviced, build-ready platform before the first foundation goes in.
Can you work on brownfield or contaminated land?
Yes. Land remediation is part of our site development service, so we can assess the ground and prepare the site for development.
How do soil tests affect my foundations?
We test surface and subsurface soil to work out the foundation type your development needs. Getting that right early protects the rest of the programme.
Can sustainability and net zero be planned in from the start?
Yes. We factor net-zero and sustainability requirements in at the planning stage, drawing on our commercial solar and energy storage expertise.
Where do you work, and which sectors do you cover?
We deliver UK-wide from our Preston base across the North West. Sectors include commercial, healthcare, industrial, leisure, education, heritage, retail, agricultural and the public sector.
Let's talk about your next project.
One call reaches the whole group. Tell us what you need and we'll bring the right teams together.
