Client: Barratt Eastern Counties
Location: Colchester, Essex
Architect: BDG Design (South) Ltd

Brief
The residential development in the Hythe area of Colchester has now been completed and has the benefit of extensive associated areas of open space including woodland and wetland habitat, in the form of the Distillery Pond and an adjacent block of woodland.

Approach
It was critical to ensure that the future of these important habitats, inhabited by badgers and used by a range of wildfowl and terrestrial bird species and bats, was safeguarded in perpetuity. In the context of the low key informal recreational use of the area, it was necessary to reach agreement with Colchester Borough Council and the environmental consultees with respect to an ongoing Nature Conservation and Landscape Management Plan.

Outcome
The Management Plan is now in operation. This has resulted in the implementation of a number of initial habitat improvement works and the strategic provision of public amenities, including a new footpath, lookout point, seating and localised fencing. A conservation management process has also begun. This has included extensive de-silting of the lake to prevent public access to a number of small islands (thereby retaining their function as wildlife refuge areas), thinning and coppicing of areas of sycamore and alder dominated woodland, hedgerow gapping up, Japanese knotweed control and monitoring of protected species.