Creating new habitats

New developments should seek to design in biodiversity from the outset and this should fit into the existing green infrastructure.

Newcastle City Council

Some sites may be unsuitable for development due to a range of environmental factors such as soil type, depth of water table and liability to flooding. These represent an opportunity to maximise biodiversity potential.

The Town and Country Planning Association’s Biodiversity by Design guide and the UK Green Building Council's Biodiversity and the Built Environment offer case study examples at building and site scales.

At a building level there are a number of small-scale interventions that can help to ‘green’ the built environment and can be beneficial for wildlife. These include bird boxes, ponds, trees and shrubs, diversity of planting, structural planting, twig and log piles, compost heaps.

Features to control rainwater run-off, such as sustainable urban drainage sytems (SUDS) and rainwater gardens, should also help maximise opportunities for wildlife.

How do you choose which species to plant? Obviously, plants and trees should be suitable for urban areas. Native species are preferable for biodiversity, as are species with berries or nectar-rich flowers or and which provide habitat. Species could also be selected for their provision of food. Climate change may also have an influence. The best current advice may be to plant a range of species of different ages so that the stock is robust against future pests and disease.

Species selection is also dependent on their maintenance and irrigation requirements. In some instances it may be better to use species which are drought resistant and tolerate extreme weather conditions, however this should be balanced against maximising the environmental benefits of plants that do require watering – particularly cooling.

Areas that may be unsuitable for development due to a range of environmental factors such as soil type, depth of water table and liability to flooding represent an opportunity to maximise biodiversity potential.

Photo by Newcastle City Council

Benwell Nature Park

At Benwell Nature Park a reserve was created on a former housing site which had been cleared for a number of years. It provides a valuable recreational space whilst supporting biodiversity objectives.

The park has also encouraged volunteer input from the community, which in turn has created opportunities for skills development in an area of high unemployment.

Priority: help wildlife adapt to climate change
Tags: green infrastructure, buildings and spaces