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11 March 2002
Homebuyers can turn their new garden into a haven for wildlife by following a special guide that has been produced by Countryside Properties for its customers. The leaflet includes information and tips on understanding the natural environment and attracting a wide range of wildlife into the garden.
On its new homes developments, Countryside aims to provide a high quality of life for its customers, where the natural environment is of great importance. To this end, Countryside provides extensive landscaping at its developments, retaining mature trees and shrubs where possible and planting many new ones. Indeed, over 500,000 trees and shrubs are planted by Countryside each year providing shelter and food for a wide variety of wildlife.
As a company, we firmly believe that priority should be given to wildlife and the environment, not only because it enhances the natural eco-system, but from a commercial point of view, it creates a much more valuable and spectacular setting to live in.
Guy Lambert, Corporate Communications Manager of Countryside Properties
Guy Lambert, Corporate Communications Manager of Countryside Properties comments, "There is so much we can all do to create diverse eco-systems which encourage the wildlife around us. The Guide gives useful, cost effective information and hints on helping various types of wildlife, with different features such as ponds, bird boxes and waterfalls. Each household can therefore personalise their garden to attract the types of wildlife they prefer. As a company, we firmly believe that priority should be given to wildlife and the environment, not only because it enhances the natural eco-system, but from a commercial point of view, it creates a much more valuable and spectacular setting to live in."
The guide is endorsed by The Essex Wildlife Trust, with whom Countryside has worked on numerous projects. Advice includes an explanation on how to build a pond in your back garden and on the creatures that can live there, such as fish, frogs and newts. Other sections focus on trees, shrubs and flowers, birds and hedgehogs.
Countryside Properties is one of Britain's leading developers and is renowned for creating sustainable new communities and revitalising urban and rural areas. In creating new developments, the company places a great deal of importance on the surrounding location, in aiming to provide the highest quality of life possible to its customers.
At its Wychwood Park development located between Nantwich and Crewe, Countryside has designed a new community, of around 500 new homes that are spread throughout several hamlets, within a new PGA standard golf course. Here the company has embarked on an extensive nature conservation project. Countryside has worked alongside English Nature, the Cheshire Wildlife Trust and local advisors at The Environment Agency, to develop a comprehensive environmental strategy to encourage and preserve local wildlife on the development.
This has included designing the layout of the new buildings so as not to disturb existing badger sets found on the land, providing additional habitat for existing species to thrive in, such as the provision of nest boxes for barn owls, the implementation of new lakes and the translocation of large areas of wetland vegetation. Some 35-acres have also been allocated to provide extensive 'wildlife corridors' of rich wildflower and rough grassland/wildlife areas, interspersed with native tree and shrub planting, which will enable wildlife to move around the development safely.
Countryside Properties won 'Housebuilder of the Year 2001' at the recent What House? awards. For more information on Countryside Properties, visit the company's website at www.countryside-properties.com, or telephone 01277 260 000.
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Information correct as at 11/03/2002