A ground-breaking environmental partnership involving local social housing provider Choice Housing and the Northern Ireland conservation charity, Ulster Wildlife, has been announced.
The exciting venture is paving the way for greater engagement on biodiversity from Choice Housing staff and tenants, with designated areas of new – and existing – land being set aside to support nature and help increase wildlife interest levels in public open space.
Choice Housing has committed to having five future developments assessed for ecological purposes as part of its 2023/24 ‘Design Guide’ Review.
With Ulster Wildlife’s help, it will make biodiversity specifications standard in all fresh builds – a commitment that will be achieved through Choice’s ‘Sustainability and Energy Strategy’.
Explaining the thinking behind the biodiversity initiative, Wilton Farrelly, Group Director of Assets at Choice, said a recent event at The Square in Ballyclare involving volunteers from the Royal Society for the Protection of Bird’s highlighted the opportunities that exist to make a positive environmental contribution.
“As part of the conversations we had with volunteers, which included pointing out the threats faced by Swifts and the important role home builders can play in preserving their habitats, Choice Housing installed ‘swift bricks’ to the design of properties within The Square.
“All bricks are occupied, and our tenants are delighted by the presence of these rare birds.”
A total of eight were delivered at the Ballyclare scheme, with these ‘Swift bricks’ incorporated at Park Avenue in Belfast – a £16.3m mixed tenure scheme that will comprise 90 units once work has been completed by contractor EHA Group. Of this total, 63 have been set aside for social housing purposes and 27 will be private rented apartments for Maple and May Limited.
“The event at The Square reinforced the significant opportunities that Choice Housing have to minimise net-ecological loss in our new-build programme,” added Wilton.
“Park Avenue will enhance the area by incorporating communal gardens and soft landscaping whilst occupants will benefit from the latest energy efficiency measures to save on bills and reduce emissions.”
Specialist flyers who spend most of their time aloft, Swifts return to the same site each year and are identifiable by their dark underside, proportionately longer wings and screaming call. Since 2007, Northern Ireland’s swift population has dropped 40% with experts putting the declining populations down to a loss of habitat. As a result, they are now officially Red Listed.
Welcoming the venture, Vickie Chambers, Head of Fundraising and Communications at Ulster Wildlife said,
“We are delighted to be working with Choice to help ensure their new and existing sites are designed and developed in a way that contributes to nature’s recovery.
“From advising on biodiversity enhancements such as bat and bird boxes, to increasing wildlife-rich public spaces, these gains for nature will also greatly benefit people’s health and quality of life. We look forward to seeing our partnership grow and, in the process, set a new standard for nature-friendly housing,” Vickie added.
