Our Structural & Civil Engineering team delivers clear and practical solutions for buildings and infrastructure. We combine technical expertise with an understanding of how construction really works to support projects across commercial, residential, and mixed-use sectors.
We don’t believe in standard solutions. Our civil and structural engineers look beyond convention to find practical ways to meet the realities of construction. We draw on deep technical knowledge and a clear understanding of how projects evolve, supporting developments of all sizes across the commercial, residential, and mixed-use sectors.
We work closely with our clients, architects, surveyors, and contractors to make sure every structure remains practical and coordinated. Because projects are rarely static, we keep communication open, welcoming feedback and adjusting designs as conditions shift to stay aligned with what happens on site.
Our experience in civil and structural design covers everything from large-scale redevelopment and high-rise design to Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and highway design. Whatever the brief, our goal is simple: to bring clarity to complex challenges and deliver robust solutions that add lasting value to the places we help to shape.
We deliver water management solutions that strengthen resilience and support sustainable development from the earliest stages of a project.
Through flood risk assessment and early hydraulic analysis, we identify constraints, manage uncertainty, and shape mitigation strategies that align with planning policy and local authority and LLFA requirements.
Our highway and infrastructure designs are shaped around how people and places are meant to function. We create streets that are safe and accessible, and infrastructure that meets regulatory and adoptable standards. Every scheme is informed by detailed traffic analysis, swept-path studies, and access strategies to ensure compliance with Section 38 and 278 Highway regulations.
Close collaboration with landscape, utilities, and public realm teams resolves constraints early to keep projects on track.
Our earthworks analysis and ground modelling services respond directly to ground conditions, loading requirements, and the structure above.
Each strategy is shaped through careful interpretation of geotechnical investigations and risk assessments relating to soil variability and groundwater, helping to ensure hard-wearing solutions and reduced ground-related risk.
We design substructure and foundation solutions that respond directly to ground conditions, loading demands, and structural form.
Shallow and deep foundations are developed through careful interpretation of ground investigations, groundwater conditions, and site constraints, ensuring each solution is technically robust and appropriate to the building above.
Our structural team deliver superstructure design and high-risk building (HRB) engineering for complex buildings that demand proven safety, buildability, and are ready to stand the test of time.
We design reinforced concrete, steel, timber, and hybrid superstructure designs with a clear understanding of vertical stability, load paths, and structural robustness to ensure compliance with current regulations and resilience against disproportionate collapse.
We deliver specialist engineering solutions for complex or non-standard structures that demand a bespoke approach.
From pedestrian bridges and highway structures to basements, podiums, and transfer systems – every design is tailored to the unique challenges of the project and integrated seamlessly with the wider structural strategy.
Partner
Partner
Associate Structural Engineer
Associate Structural Engineer
Associate Civil Engineer
Partner
Richard is a Partner at Barker and leads the Architecture Department. He is dual-qualified as a chartered architect and professionally certified project manager with over twenty-five years’ experience in the public and private sectors.
A diverse portfolio of completed projects includes new school buildings, visitor centres, courthouses, commercial offices, and a variety of residential and mixed-use projects both in the UK and overseas. Richard led the development and managed Staffordshire County Council’s first strategic construction partnership after several years of leading an architectural team and has a broad knowledge of construction procurement.
Email: rpaynter@barker-associates.co.uk
Tel: 01279 648086
Partner
Gareth joined Barker in 2024, based in our Essex head office.
He is a Chartered Civil Engineer with more than 20 years of experience in Civil Engineering solutions & has led both Civil & Structural Engineering teams on projects from conception to project delivery, with values exceeding a billion pounds both nationally and internationally.
He holds a deep understanding of Infrastructure Engineering, focused on a value-led design ethos to complex situations, which has allowed the positive integration of infrastructure into coordinated design masterplans across all sectors.
Email: garethwebber@barker-associates.co.uk
Tel: 01279 701 984
Associate Structural Engineer
Daniel joined Barker in 2019 as a Structural Engineer and was appointed as an Associate to provide support and develop Barker’s Structural Engineering services.
Daniel has over 22 years of experience on projects in the residential, commercial, and education sectors providing a wide range of engineering solutions on new build, refurbishment, and remodelling projects.
Email: dclaydon@barker-associates.co.uk
Tel: 01279 648076
Associate Structural Engineer
Neil is an experienced Structural Engineer with over 16 years working as a Consulting Engineer in the construction industry.
He has a proven track record of leading and delivering projects ranging from bespoke housing to large, complex residential and commercial projects, providing cost-efficient solutions and ensuring project delivery is on programme and within budget.
Associate Civil Engineer
Andrew joined Barker in 2024 as a Senior Civil Engineer based at our Head Office in Braintree, working within the Structural & Civil Engineering Team. He brings a wealth of experience in the residential sector, with a strong track record of delivering complex infrastructure and drainage solutions on large-scale regeneration projects.
He has played a pivotal role in major residential schemes valued at up to £1 billion, consistently delivering practical, cost-effective designs that support programme certainty and align with planning requirements. He is recognised for his collaborative mindset and unwavering commitment to engineering excellence.
Our experience and vision have shaped hundreds of projects across sectors, from energy and funding to architecture and design, helping bring ideas to life.
