The basic principles in terms of managing the ecology of the site as part of the development will follow the hierarchy of avoidance, mitigation, compensation and enhancement measures.

Enhancement measures as part of the development will include:

• Setting aside space within the development site in which to create new woodland, wetland, wildflower meadows or other habitats of value to wildlife
• Using native plants in the landscaping design, which are of value in their own right and as habitat for other wildlife
• The addition of a green roof on one or more buildings, providing habitat for plants and animals typical of the existing site
• The use of climbing plants on walls within the new development which can provide shelter and foraging opportunities for wildlife. This would also provide acoustic and energy insulation benefit
• The inclusion of bird and bat boxes within the structure of new buildings

Living walls are those covered in some form of vegetation. Generally they are made up of climbing plants and are constructed so as to provide for vegetation actually planted into the structure of the wall itself or some form of additional structure attached to the wall on which climbing plants are supported. They offer environmental benefits by enhancing biodiversity, improving the thermal insulation and cooling properties of the building, can help improve air quality, improving noise attenuation properties and improving visual amenity. High quality designs for ‘green walls’ incorporating vegetation over a majority of a building’s vertical surfaces should be considered throughout.

The habitat on the eastern side of the site has been assessed as having potential for reptiles, in particular grass snake. Enhancement measures here could include:

• Creating piles of rotting vegetation which can be used as egg laying sites by grass snakes. This could be a designated area for depositing the arisings from mowing regimes elsewhere on the site.
• Creating artificial hibernacula and refugia from a combination of logs, stone and turf. This will benefit grass snake and any other reptiles present, as well as likely amphibian.
• The general location for the above features will be in or around the suitable habitat to the east of the site. The specific location will be determined under the guidance of the qualified ecologists taking into account the findings of ongoing reptile surveys.

Living roofs comprise two main types – green roofs and recreational roofs.

• Green roofs range from intensively vegetated (intensive) to extensively vegetated (extensive).
• Recreational living roofs provide amenity benefit.

Intensive green roofs are those made up of lush vegetation and based on a relatively nutrient rich and deep substrate. They are principally designed to provide amenity and are normally accessible for recreational use. They may be referred to as roof gardens or terraces.

Extensive green roofs normally have a shallow growing medium and are designed to be relatively self sustaining. Between intensive and extensive is a range of intermediate treatments that are typically referred to as semi or simple-intensive.

The bank is fairly extensive and has potential to provide a certain amount of connectivity through the site. The bank is currently bare but is becoming colonised by existing native species. This process of native colonisation should ideally be allowed to continue and managed with a differential mowing approach comprising a cut every 2 years or as appropriate depending on condition. A 2 year rotation would allow any biennial species to continue as part of the colonisation.