Project FORE An Environmental Success

The Project FORE, the Office Development for BAM, has been a magnet for environmental issues in all shapes and forms. The on-site team has had to consider the impact on natural habitat and wildlife alike.

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Running directly through the site is a natural water course discharging into the river Blythe. To allow bulk excavation and construction activities to take place the ditch needed to be crossed on numerous occasions. This was facilitated by the construction of bridges utilising natural materials such as timber sleepers and straw bales. There was also a requirement to relocate an area of protected grass called Sedge from the proposed construction zone to a designated protected area that would remain untouched and not effected by the project.  Sedge is so rare that there were no other examples of growth within the Midlands area magnifying the importance of the translocation. The Environment Agency were in close attendance every step of the way to ensure a successful process.

Towards the northern section of the site there is the existence of badgers. Provisions included the forming of a 30 meter radius exclusion zone to allow continued foraging with the tree protection fencing lifted in this area to allow the badgers to pass under freely at will. The exclusion zone still remains as the project progresses.

In tandem there were several tree climbing surveys undertaken to establish the presence and possible roosting of protected
birds or bats.These were carried out to ensure there was no damage to their natural habitat.

Darren Cass, Project Manager commented, ‘Parkstone are always aware of the impact our sites can have on the natural environment and work very closely with the appropriate agencies to ensure as little disruption as possible and Project FORE is an excellent example of the company’s environmental policy. Parkstone personnel at this site also participated in World Environmental Day on 5th June 2008 involving the installation of Bat and Nesting boxes together with the clearance of debris from the river Blythe amongst other activities.’

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