Wildlife and Human Habitat
AN example of the sort of high quality green space which is being encouraged by the North East Community Forest is the West Park development in Darlington.
Local developer Bussey and Armstrong Homes is creating a complex of 800 homes, village centre with commercial and community facilities, and a school on a site which was once partly a chemical works.
The green space includes 46,000 trees, reed beds, wildlife refuges, wildflower meadows and paths and cycleways which link to a former railway line which is now a walk and cycleway. Clive Davies said: “These green spaces don’t cost a fortune and they are a remarkable resource for the people who live there.”
The Tees Forest employs a site warden to provide security and maintenance.
Bussey and Armstrong director Tony Cooper said: “We have gone a long way beyond the minimum standards at West Park. Because the site was formerly occupied by a chemical works, it took us three years to get approvals and complete reclamation works.
“Our goal was to achieve something different without it being radically expensive. About a third of the land will eventually be parkland.”
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