Site Plan – Landscape & Ecology

A – The existing Birdworld and garden centre site is visually well contained by surrounding ancient woodland and on-site landscaping.

Public views of the site are only available locally, primarily from the A325. which adjoins the site’s eastern boundary.

B – The planting design approaches vary to provide different identities for the Birdworld and Garden Centre sites.

The Birdworld car park will have an informal, naturalistic approach, whereas the Garden Centre will be more manicured and formal in character. The car park layout has been developed to allow new tree planting which will contribute to the site’s biodiversity gain.

C – Where it has been necessary to remove trees, replacement trees and shrubs have been incorporated into the landscape scheme.

D – Buffer planting will be introduced

To reinforce existing boundary planting and provide screening from adjoining residential properties. This buffer will be further enhanced by the use of acoustic fencing.

E – An adventure playground will be created within the woodland in line with the recommendations of the project arboriculturist and ecologist.

This will ensure that the proposals are integrated within and around existing trees of value, whilst also taking the opportunity to implement a management and re-planting regime to arrive at an overall improvement to the existing woodland.

F – There are further opportunities to replace poor-quality landscape with species-rich grassland

Such as in the former Birdworld car park and the existing waterfowl pond which will be formed into a surface water attenuation basin seeded with native meadow seed mix and properly managed thus further contributing to the overall improvement of biodiversity on the site.