PRIORITY HABITAT

Urban ecology

Biodiversity features will be designed into the new development parcels to provide a range of benefits for key species.
Watch swans on the lake
Listen to the sounds round the lake

What's here

The design will ensure connectivity through the site between the biodiversity priority areas and into the wider development to harmonise nature and new residents.

Ensuring the connections between suitable habitats remain open, such as the installation of raised garden fences or ‘hedgehog highways’ between residential gardens will be a key feature.

New residents will be inspired to manage their gardens for wildlife to thrive.

Hedgehog

Wildlife friendly gardening booklets will be provided to all new homeowners, alongside community sessions with the Wildlife Trust.

Key features include

  • The inclusion of plant species that provide notable mammals such as hedgehogs with foraging opportunities throughout the year.
  • Food providing plants including flower, nectar, fruit and nut bearing species and plants that support groups of insects eaten by mammals such as hedgehogs.
  • The installation of a number of bird boxes and built-in nesting features across the site, including sparrow bricks, swift bricks and swallow cups, open fronted and nest hole boxes for small birds such as tits, robins and wagtails and larger boxes for starlings.
  • Specific nesting features suitable for scarcer species such as blackcap, whitethroats and warblers on retained mature trees within sheltered areas of the site.
  • Creating roosting features for bat species, such as bat bricks and bat tubes built within suitable structures adjacent to open green space, thereby providing permanent roosting opportunities. These features also provide opportunities for crevice and cavity-dwelling species. Lighting will be designed to minimise light spill into bat and bird foraging and commuting areas, including dark corridors throughout the site.
  • Community allotments will further encourage wildlife friendly best practice and aim to incorporate boundary planting with species rich in nectar.
  • Systems to avoid isolation of wildlife populations and prevent road traffic incidents will be implemented. These techniques may include wildlife underpasses, which would allow wildlife such as hedgehogs, reptiles and newts to cross roads safely.

Priority species in urban areas

Hedgehog
Hedgehog
Swift
Swift

Discover more ecology areas Waterbeach

Lake at waterbeach
Lake and runway grassland
Western bund
Western bund
Former golf course at Waterbeach
Former golf course

Get Waterbeach updates by email

Consent(Required)