Biodiversity
Prior to development on many of our sites we undertake biodiversity surveys to ensure that the local flora and fauna are preserved and take pride in enhancing the local landscaping and ecology for both the benefit of the environment and our residents.
At our Barking Riverside development in the Thames Gateway working with volunteers from the local community and partners Make:Good we have built the world’s largest bee house made out of wood and bamboo measuring 16.56m². The bee house will provide thousands of valuable nesting sites for Barking Riverside’s population of solitary bees.
In Wokingham, at our Carillons development, we have incorporated a new duck pond which this year has supported a family of Mallards, much to the delight of local residents.
Early surveys of our site at Wendover in Buckinghamshire, identified a population of Pipistrelle Bats. The former site was an ideal roosting ground for them, with many of the old building being linear in nature and highly suited to a bat habitat. As a protected species it was incumbent upon us to provide a suitable home for the bats which we have done in the form of two bespoke bat houses to provide the bats with all their home comforts.
Specifically, the two bat houses include such features as a steeply pitched roof and exposed internal timbers this helps to maximise nesting opportunities, in addition two electric heaters coupled with a dark tiled roof to absorb heat will ensure that the bat house is kept at an ambient temperature suitable for the bats annual hibernation period.
The number of trees that we plant also provides us with a guide to the contribution we have made to developing new places. Last year we planted 8,843 trees.