Natural England visited Bellway’s flagship native showhome garden in Nottinghamshire to learn how the company is encouraging people to embrace nature.
Bellway’s At Home with Nature garden was designed around native plant species which support insects, birds and wider ecosystems.
Located at Bellway’s Ashlands development in Sutton in Ashfield, the garden was created in partnership with Plantlife, the charity best known for its No Mow May campaign.
Four members of Natural England’s Biodiversity Net Gain Policy team, which advises the government, were invited to view the garden to learn more about its impact and Bellway’s future plans.
Joseph Bailey, Senior Specialist at Natural England, said: “It was valuable to see first-hand how biodiversity can be delivered on the ground, alongside wider nature-friendly approaches, creating places that homeowners can enjoy while supporting wildlife. Visits like this provide an important opportunity to share learning and explore how we can work together to deliver positive outcomes for nature.”
Neil Beamsley, Head of Nature and Biodiversity for Bellway, said: “The At Home with Nature garden is just one in a range of initiatives that Bellway has implemented to enhance the natural environment. We are committed to leading the way in showing how nature and development can co-exist. To achieve this, we have set ourselves targets to improve biodiversity within our developments and the wider areas, which exceed the standards set by the government.”
“The visit of Natural England presented a welcome opportunity to discuss ideas that could be implemented more widely within the industry. This includes training our sales teams to talk to visitors about biodiversity and about what they can do themselves to support nature.”
“Domestic gardens can make a significant positive contribution to local ecosystems. By educating people on the importance of planting native species, we can encourage small steps that have a collective positive impact on the planet.”