Wildlife will be a priority among new housing developments in York

Barratt Developments has partnered with RSPB on their new sites

Fairfield Croft, York
Author: Charlotte FisherPublished 20th Feb 2021

Space for wildlife will be a priority within new housing developments in York.

Housebuilder, Barratts, has partnered with RSPB to add more wildlife friendly features to its sites in the city.

By 2023, Barratt Developments Yorkshire East will further prioritise wildlife by creating dedicated spaces for local biodiversity conservation.

This commitment will include a range of wildlife friendly features such as more newly-planted trees, a greater number of hedgehog highways and swift nesting sites, and a transition to becoming peat-free, in an effort to help local nature habitats in trouble.

The developer will plant more new trees

The local housebuilder aims to have at least 10% more wildlife habitats in and around new developments, delivering a clear biodiversity net gain across the country.

In addition to this, every new show home garden will follow strict RSPB guidance which prioritises wildlife through specialist planting and landscaping, with at least 50% of the gardens to receive special RSPB commendations. In addition to this, all future Show Homes within Yorkshire East will be designed to the Gold standard rating, set by the RSPB.

As part of the ongoing partnership, Barratt Developments is also investing £1m across the country in an exciting new project with the RSPB to support people helping nature thrive in their gardens, balconies and eventually their community greenspaces.

Launching in spring this year and named Nature on Your Doorstep, the project will focus on the development of digital resources and an online community that delivers resources, connections and inspiration that will support people in creating their own shelters for wildlife in their local area.

Daniel Smith, Managing Director at Barratt Developments Yorkshire East, commented:

Barratt hopes to have it in place by 2023

“As the region’s leading national sustainable housebuilder looking after nature is integral to the work that we continuously do through our partnership with RSPB.

"This is why we are committing to boosting wildlife and building nature friendly developments, but not only that, as a community we all have a role to play in tackling the ecological and climate emergency.

"And through the actions we take for nature, by individuals or communities together, such as welcoming wildlife into gardens or greenspace, we will continue to make a huge difference.”

Barratt Developments Yorkshire East has sites across York including The Chocolate Works and Fairfield Croft, Heather Croft in Pickering, and Mortimer Park in Driffield.