Greengage led the ecology survey and assessment work to inform the design and planning application for the Cambridge Road Estate.
The new neighbourhood will provide community facilities and up to 2,170 new homes; a mix of flats, maisonettes and houses of various sizes, with 45% affordable (on a habitable room basis). In early 2020, estate residents voted in favour of the estate being regenerated to deliver new, high-quality, “greener” homes that will take us into the future.
Greengage’s involvement included extensive survey work, the preparation of the Ecology Chapter of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and liaison with the LPA and Statutory Consultees during the planning process.
The key part of our survey work was the undertaking of dusk emergence and dawn return to roost surveys on more than 30 locations across the site, to ascertain the presence/likely absence of bat roosts. Activity surveys in spring, summer and autumn, supplemented with static data recording during these periods, were also undertaken.
The results of the survey work were used to prepare the ecology chapter of the wider EIA and to inform the scheme design, in particular the green infrastructure provision and public realm areas.
Working closely with the architects and landscape architects, Greengage undertook the Biodiversity Impact Assessment to assess whether the proposals would deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain. The delivery of multifunctional green space was a core objective from the outset and led to the proposals exceeding current and emerging policy and legislation with regards to BNG.
In late 2021, the Planning Committee resolved to grant planning approval for the regeneration.
