Barratt Homes Mercia has recreated a natural habitat for creatures big and small at Whittleford Park on Queen Elizabeth Road, Nuneaton.

Whittleford Park is situated directly across from the housebuilder's Saxon Rise development in Camp Hill. Coal mining, brick and tile making were once prevalent on the site with the final factory closing in 1970 when it was turned into a park.

Ecological consultants, Middlemarch Environmental have been working with Barratt to create the park's ridge and furrow, whilst also reintegrating plants, with the hope they will attract a variety of small creatures, including bees, frogs and butterflies. In addition to this a new bridge and network of footpaths have been built for local people to explore the park.

Dr Philip Fermor of Middlemarch Environmental commented; “We have been able to create the ridge and furrow which is a traditional way of wetting a hay meadow, creating a rare watery habitat. The planting of over one thousand plants, bespoke seeds and the restoration of native willow woodland is a great achievement.

Barratt Homes Mercia has worked alongside Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and the Friends of Whittleford Park throughout the duration of the 18 month project. Councillor Ian Lloyd, Cabinet member for Art and Leisure from Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council said; “This is fantastic news and a real boost for the Borough's wildlife population. It also shows our commitment in working with partners to enhance the local environment and create an idyllic place to live.”

Yvonne Everitt from Friends of Whittleford Park said; “It's extremely gratifying to see Barratt Homes Mercia making these improvements to Whittleford Park. We're very fortunate to have substantial areas of habitat including woodland, wetland, marshland and meadowland at the park. Families and children need areas such as this for their health and well-being amongst other things, and they need preserving so that future generations will be able to enjoy wildlife on their doorstep.”

Stephen Barton, Senior Sales Manager at Barratt Homes Mercia, commented, “This has been an important project to be involved in. Saxon Rise residents and all local people in Camp Hill have the benefit of watching this beautiful park grow and develop thanks to the improvements that have been made.”

Saxon Rise currently features a range of three and four bedroom homes are currently available with prices starting from £146,000. For more information please call the sales office on 02476 397 485 open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Alternatively, please call the sales hotline on 0844 811 9988 open seven days a week from 8am to 9pm or log on to www.barratthomes.co.uk.

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NOTES TO EDITORS:

1) Saxon Rise is a partnership between Barratt Homes Mercia, Pride in Camp Hill, the Homes and Communities Agency, Nuneaton and Bedworth Council, Warwickshire County Council, and the Prince's Foundation.
2) For further information about Saxon Rise or Barratt Mercia please contact Hannah Elwell, Director of PR or Joseph Doyle, PR Account Executive on 0116 247 1777 or hannah@unsworthsugden.co.uk  or joseph@unsworthsugden.co.uk 
3) Barratt Group sold 13,663 homes in the year to June 2013, making it the biggest housebuilder by volume in Britain.
4) Barratt Group was awarded a maximum five star rating for the fourth consecutive year in the 2013 Home Builders Federation Customer Satisfaction Survey.
5) In 2013, site managers working for Barratt Group won a record breaking 102 awards for quality workmanship in the NHBC Pride in the Job Quality Awards. This is the highest number ever won by a single company since the competition began in 1980.
6) Barratt Group was named Sustainable Developer of the Year at the What House Awards 2012, in addition to Sustainable Housebuilder of the Year at the Housebuilder Awards 2012.