Case study
using the brown stuff
identifying sites for development into natural parkland is important if the uK is to achieve a truly
balanced and sustainable environment. Paul Mathers explains how the commercial application of
quality compost helped turn a former colliery into a wildlife friendly habitat.
L
and restoration conjures restoration - funded through the english approached slightly differently and in a
images of built environment Partnerships National Coalfields Programme. way that could deliver cost savings as well
regeneration, new housing this included the removal of a redundant as necessary practical and environmental
developments, industrial business reservoir. But when plans to develop the benefits.
units and commercial properties; but site for construction purposes proved due to a lack of high quality natural
equally as important is natural environment unsuccessful, an alternative plan to transform topsoil on site, the restoration programme
regeneration - transforming derelict land the former colliery into an informal country had to involve the importation of organic
into natural parkland and green open spaces. park, complete with natural woodland matter in order to support the healthy
abandoned sites can be turned into natural species, emerged. establishment of new vegetation.
open spaces and parkland, thereby creating a However, rather than importing natural,
habitat for the establishment of native plants
and providing a save haven for animal and Abandoned
raw topsoil for use on site, the trust decided
it would take a more sustainable approach in
insect life.
‘
order to not only reduce capital expenditure,
in the UK, the Land restoration
sites can be
but also maximise the use of recycling
trust plays a major role in ensuring that materials. Bsi Pas 100 compost was
brownfield land not set aside for construction
is targeted for ecological restoration.
turned into
identified as a key part of this strategy, and
would be applied to unvegetated areas
in this capacity, it was the trust that was
appointed to lead an ambitious restoration
natural open
in order to restore the land back to its
natural state.
project on the site of the former Cronton Working in conjunction with WraP,
Colliery in Merseyside - a site which had
spaces
the trust commissioned environmental
been abandoned since the early 1980s. consultants and landscape architects teP to
due to its location near the M62 and
’
prepare an ecologically-led land restoration
M57, the colliery had been long highlighted in May 2006 the main partners, english strategy for the site, using quality Bsi Pas
as a site for future redevelopment, and it Partnerships, the north-West development 100 compost to restore the remaining areas
underwent some initial work in the mid-90s agency, Knowsley MBC and the Forestry left unvegetated from previous restorations.
involving the creation of two development Commission confirmed the plan and agreed the rationale behind this came from early
plateaus and substantial woodland planting. that the Land restoration trust would lead observations of the site which had revealed
seeing its potential, english Partnerships the project. that the inadvertent application of organic
acquired the site and in 1999 transferred While the trust had worked on many material to formerly bare areas of spoil had
ownership to the north-West development successful restoration projects in the past, reinvigorated the growth of creeping bent
agency who oversaw further phases of it was decided that this project would be and other species, leading to an attractive,
30 SuStainable SolutionS april 2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60