FPCR’s ecology department has been involved with this site for over 15 years undertaking the baseline surveys for the original environmental statement and leading the necessary mitigation and compensation. The site supports a good population of common lizard and slow worm and a specifically designed reptile reserve was created to provide a new home for reptiles that needed to be moved to allow the development to proceed. Reptile monitoring surveys have been on going over the years and the results indicate that the site still supports a good population of both common lizard and slow worm.
The site also supported a good population of water vole, these also had to be moved to enable infrastructure works to proceed. Over 200 water voles were trapped from the site, housed at a facility in Devon and their progeny used to re-populate catchments in Wales and Greater London. Young of the original voles were successfully released back into the site once all infrastructure works were complete. Monitoring surveys indicate that the site is still used by this species.
FPCR have been involved in on going management and monitoring surveys of the site since its inception ensuring that the biodiversity value of the site has been retained alongside the creation of new residential areas, a school, innovation centres and distribution warehouses.
