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Eagle-ly awaited bird screens installed at Great Kneighton Country Park

27th August 2014 Print
Bird screens at Great Kneighton

Two hand crafted bird screens have been erected next to the wetland in the new 120 acre country park at Great Kneighton in Cambridge. Providing a perfect place for visitors to enjoy observing the extensive wildlife already at home in the park, these carefully carved wooden structures include insect and bird boxes designed to attract local wildlife.

Designed by artist Nils Norman, the bird screens form part of the Public Art Strategy for Great Kneighton which is being led by specialist cultural agency Futurecity on behalf of Countryside. As one of the largest public art programmes in the UK, so far six leading artists have been commissioned to create different art projects across the development and country park.

Andy Robinson, Director of Futurecity explains the bird screens design in more detail: “It was of great importance to use the felled trees that have been stored on site since clearing and construction work began, to create a meaningful and robust design that will last. Nils Norman’s bird screens use sleepers made from oak and ash, assembled in a nest like design by laying the lengths of timber horizontally on top of each other. We are also working with highly skilled Cambridge carvers to inscribe the timber with information about the project, which we can’t wait to reveal to local residents.”

“Small insect boxes and bird boxes have been designed to fit discreetly into the front of both screens, built into the sleeper design as small hollow sections. A seating area has also been included which is ideal for bird watchers wishing to view the different species already at home within the 50,000sqm bird reserve and the four ponds”.

The bird screens are a welcome addition to the stunning new country park. Nils Norman is also creating designs for four bridges over Hobson’s Brook that will mirror the design of the bird screens as well as a large active recreation area and public seating across the park.

At over four times the size of the open space in the centre of Cambridge known as Parker’s Piece, the new Country Park is the focus of the Great Kneighton development and a superb addition to the green open spaces that Cambridge has to offer. When complete the Great Kneighton Country Park will contain woodland, four ponds, one of which is a 50,000 sq m bird reserve, allotments, playing fields for the new secondary school, and a range of adventure play areas.

Construction of the park has been taking place in phases, with the first phase now complete and planned to be open to the public next spring. All four ponds have been constructed including the bird reserve which is proving very popular and is now home to a wide range of birds, including lapwings, common terns, mallards, coots, corn buntings, little ringed plovers, grey partridges and moorhens.

Great Kneighton is an exciting new community which is taking shape on the southern fringe of Cambridge. Countryside is building a contemporary, sustainable development of over 2,000 imaginatively designed new homes, from apartments through to six bedroom family houses.

Everything will be on the doorstep at Great Kneighton with a whole range of new amenities being planned. In addition to the country park there will be a new secondary and primary school, community square with health centre, shops, and a library, sports pitches and a public art programme.

For further information on Great Kneighton visit greatkneighton.com. Prices for a two bedroom apartment at Novo start from £355,000, whilst prices for a two bedroom home start from £375,000 at Abode. For more information on Novo visit novocambridge.com and for more information on Abode visit abodecambridge.co.uk. Prices for the three bedroom homes at Aura start from £695,000. For more information email: auracambridge[at]cpplc.com

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Bird screens at Great Kneighton