Beaulieu Park station, being developed in Chelmsford, UK, will be the first railway station to be built on the Great Eastern Mainline in more than 100 years.
It is being developed by Network Rail, a railway company based in the UK, in partnership with Countryside Zest, a joint venture of Countryside Partnerships, a housebuilding and urban regeneration company, and L&Q, a residential developer.
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The construction of Beaulieu Park station began in January 2023. The station will be opened to the public in 2026. Upon completion, it will offer a new gateway to London, Essex, and nearby areas.
The station will be managed by Greater Anglia, a train operating company. It will be served by a fleet of new trains providing services into London.
Beaulieu Park station location
Beaulieu Park is being developed northeast of Chelmsford city in the Essex county of London. Chelmsford is within the London commuter belt and is a popular commuter base, with convenient access to the A12, M11, and M25 highways.
The development of the new train station and a new relief road that will connect inhabitants to junction 19 on the A12 will simplify commutes from Beaulieu.
Development details
The new station is part of a larger £252m ($331m) regeneration project of the Beaulieu Park area being undertaken by Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council. The regeneration project includes the development of new road infrastructure such as the Chelmsford North East Bypass. It will support the development of up to 14,000 new residences in the area, including the new Chelmsford Garden Community.
The planning permission to develop the proposed station and the Chelmsford North East Bypass was granted in 2013. Network Rail joined the project in 2015 to design and construct the station. Network Rail submitted a Reserved Matters application to Chelmsford City Council to grant approval for the station design in August 2021 and was granted approval in June 2022.
Essex County Council signed a contract with Network Rail to develop the station in December 2022.
Beaulieu Park station design and facilities
The proposed Beaulieu Park station will include three island platforms, a central loop line, and additional tracks. It will enable stopping services to serve the station while letting rapid trains pass through unhindered.
It will provide step-free access to all platforms via two elevators and will have ticketing facilities, ticket vending machines, and a gate queue.
The station will also feature accessible restrooms, baby changing facilities, a waiting area, and retail/catering spaces.
It will offer parking for approximately 700 cars, with 5% allocated as blue badge bays and motorbike spaces. Dedicated parking for station workers, emergency services, and service access will also be provided.
The station will have a pick-up and drop-off zone with designated taxi spaces, as well as a bus interchange, with bus stops for local services. It will include 500 bike parking and storage spaces, as well as pedestrian and cycling access paths.
Financing
The Beaulieu Park station development is a third-party funded project with three partners, including Essex County Council, Chelmsford City Council, and Countryside Properties.
Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council successfully secured £218m ($268) in funding from the Government’s Housing and Infrastructure Fund (HIF) for the construction of the new railway station and the Chelmsford North East Bypass.
The South East Local Enterprise Partnership and Countryside Zest contributed £34m ($42m) for financing the project.
Contractors involved
J Murphy & Sons, an engineering and construction company, was awarded a contract to carry out enabling works for the construction of the Beaulieu railway station in January 2023.
The scope of the £37.8m ($47m) contract includes site welfare, earthworks, civil works, rail and signalling system upgrades, and enabling work for the station construction.
The company was previously contracted to design the station in February 2022.
Mayer Brown, a law firm based in the UK, was appointed by Countryside Zest to advise on the project.
Red Ray, a consulting firm, was responsible for the commercial management of the project and provided strategic advice to the project sponsors.
Beaulieu Park station project benefits
The Beaulieu Park station will provide the transportation infrastructure required for housing and economic expansion to Chelmsford city’s north. It will ease congestion at Chelmsford station, minimise automobile travels into the city, lower congestion on local roads, and help in reducing pollution while making travelling into London faster and more convenient.
The station will serve as a vital link between Chelmsford, Braintree, London Stansted Airport, and the outlying areas. It will increase railway access by providing regular connections to the capital in just 40 minutes from London Liverpool Street station, and other places in the east England.
The project will encourage sustainable practices such as cycling, walking, and public transportation, reducing the need to drive in central Chelmsford.
