Slow worms go house hunting at Hanham Hall

Barratt is proving that it does a lot more than housebuilding as it prepares to re-home slow worms and wildlife to safer and more sustainable environments at its Hanham Hall development in Bristol.

Ecologists at Hanham Hall have been creating homes for some of the country’s most protected wildlife including; slow worms, hedgehogs, birds and badgers. Barratt is working with the UK Bio Diversity and Action scheme to move the slowworms as part of a wildlife conservation initiative.

The slow worms are moving into specially made habitats owned by Barratt Group nearby, before building work starts to create one of the UK’s first zero-carbon communities.

Louise Ware, from Barratt commented: “It is important for housebuilders to recognise that it has a responsibility to local wildlife. We are committed to providing spacious and stylish housing to the local community while taking steps to ensure that the habitats of our previous residents are not destroyed.

“We are delighted to be working with ecologists Dr Pippa Wood and Dr Georgina Moden to safely relocate the slow worms from Hanham Hall to safer and more natural environments nearby."

The two ecologists on site have been installing ‘hedgehog houses’, marking bird nests and re-homing slowworms to ensure that their communities thrive in the modern environmental climate.

New habitats are being chosen carefully to ensure that the slowworms are well adjusted to their new homes. Barratt will continue to work with ecologists throughout the development to monitor the effects of new creatures and ensure that they settle into their new habitats.

Pippa said: “I am thrilled to be working with Barratt in helping safeguard the habitats of the slowworms and other wildlife. Hedgehogs in particular have been declining in recent years so it’s great to see them thriving in a sustainable environment.”

The relocation of the slippery creatures will help pave the way for one of Britain’s first zero-carbon developments at Hanham Halls ‘eco village’ in South Gloucestershire. The development will see the creation of 178 zero carbon homes which will be constructed using large amounts of insulation and energy efficient materials to conserve energy and water.