Great crested newt mitigation for Bovis Homes including temporary and semi-permanent newt fencing, pond creation, a wildlife scrape, 2 basking banks, 7 large hibernacula and the planting of native scrub. 

Benefits to the client: 

JPR were able to work to the ecological plans developed by EDP so that Bovis Homes could discharge their planning conditions to the satisfaction of the planning authority. 

Old munitions found on site: 

The site threw up more challenges than just newts. Having been an airfield during the second world war and more recently part of the fire service training college, there was the potential for unexploded bombs and other munitions in the ground. In order to minimise the risk, JPR worked alongside BACTEC to complete all the excavations required as safely as possible. A neighbouring construction project uncovered over two hundred items of ammunition – so the need for caution was very real. 

Creation of a receptor site: 

The first stage was the creation of a large and varied receptor site for the newts that included two ponds, a wildlife scrape, two basking banks, seven large hibernacula and the planting of 2,000 native scrub plants. 

Creating a working space: 

As is often the way with these projects, the client needed space on site as soon as possible. In this case, several thousand tons of sub soil had to be brought onto site before any newt translocation had begun. An area of hardstanding in the middle of the site was identified as having no habitat value and JPR were able to install 700m of newt fence onto the tarmac surface, allowing it to be used as a storage area before the site had been cleared of newts.