Project: Ecology Report for a BREEAM Education Ecology and Land Use Assessment of a Proposed School Site in Nottingham

Client: Nottingham City Council

Winter 2008 - Summer 2008

Background

An allotment site was selected by Nottingham City Council as a location for a new primary school. EMEC Ecology were required to submit an ecological assessment of the site in order to form part of a BREEAM assessment for the site.

Ecological Surveys Undertaken

EMEC Ecology carried out a desk study and an ecological assessment of the proposed new school site. During this initial assessment, habitat suitable for foraging and roosting bats, nesting birds and reptiles was found. Further surveys for these species were therefore recommended. Further botanical surveys were also recommended to inform the BREEAM assessment, as the survey was carried out over winter when many floral species have died back.

Further survey work included;

• Bat emergence survey.
• Breeding bird survey.
• Reptile survey.
• Hedgerow surveys.
• Additional ecological walk-over survey.

Mitigation

Advice was provided on appropriate planting schemes, protection of ecological features (sections of species-rich hedgerow) and long-term management of the site, in order to satisfy the required number of credits for the BREEAM Ecology section.

The site was considered to be of low value for birds and bat foraging activity was also low. However, it was recommended that some bat roosting features were included within the new school building and bird boxes were recommended around the site in order to provide compensation for the loss of potential features. It was also recommended that vegetation clearance was timed to avoid the bird breeding season.

Return to Projects page

Return to BREEAM / Code for Sustainable Homes page