Housebuilder's land shift project to save wildlife

A grassland site has been translocated by a housebuilder, to save scarce species of both flower and butterfly.

David Wilson Homes linked with local environment bodies to ensure the move in Cullingworth was a success.

Both the Common-spotted orchid and the Common Blue butterfly are seen to be thriving after being moved from a Hewenden Ridge development to an area close by.

The grassland originally sat on the land David Wilson Homes acquired to build Hewenden Ridge, and the housebuilder has worked with Baker consultants, Bradford Council and an urban wildlife group on its translocation since 2014, with a commitment to protecting wildlife.

To celebrate the action, Simon Cook, district councillor for the area; Pauline Sharp, representing Bradford Urban Wildlife Group; Mark Woods, Ecologist at Baker Consultants and Sales Manager of Hewenden Ridge, Dan Hardcastle, visited the new site to see the grassland.

Pauline Sharp, from Bradford Urban Wildlife Group, said: “We are pleased to have been involved with David Wilson Homes on the translocation of the orchids to a new site and would like to thank them for their commitment to what can be a very difficult and delicate process, together with their support in the maintenance and upkeep of the area to date.

"We would like to especially thank Mark Woods, Principle Ecologist at Baker Consultants, for identifying an appropriate translocation site and for the regular monitoring of what has proved to be a successful project.

“David Wilson Homes has recognised the importance of this local site and the value of supporting a precious habitat for orchids and the Common Blue butterflies, which could have been lost to the community, had the translocation not taken place. We thank their team for all their work.”

Hewenden Ridge offers a range of three and four bedroom homes situated in Cullingworth. For information on David Wilson Homes developments visit https://www.dwh.co.uk