A Case Study by Daibhi Mac Domhnaill (Cairn Homes plc)
What we do as a house builder has a profound and permanent impact on the land we develop and as Ireland’s largest house builder it is not something we can ignore. Biodiversity is something our stakeholders increasingly understand and value and we have been proactive in implementing biodiversity-orientated landscape schemes.
From the first planning and design meeting for every site we build on, we carefully analyse the unique landscape features and environmental constraints of each site. This analysis informs the entire design and for all sites we seek out innovative nature-based solutions. The biodiversity initiatives we choose have three important criteria: to be cost effective, to improve the development aesthetically, and to bring ecological benefits that will support urban biodiversity.
The site-specific projects are bolstered further by our pollinator- friendly strategies across all Cairn schemes. These include:
- Pollinator-friendly mixes of perennials and flowering shrubs in all front gardens
- Native tree planting in open spaces and private gardens
- Mixed bulb drifts of pollinator-friendly plants
- The provision of a packet of pollinator-friendly bulbs and information to every homeowner
All of our developments have biodiversity initiatives designed to preserve and enhance the natural environment.
Pollinator Plan
Since 2019 we have supported the objective of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and have been accordingly recognised by the Biodiversity Data Centre Ireland as a Pollinator Friendly Business.
In our Graydon development in Newcastle we planted 150 metres of Holly hedging along our development boundary. At our Marketing Suite, we rolled out 80 square metres of native wildflower meadow turf. Prior to commencing works, we also installed 2 maternity bat roosts in a dark corner of a future public park.
As part of our Shackleton development we have completed a stream realignment and rehabilitation project. The stream which previously sat within a deep agricultural channel has been realigned in a generous open channel along a new village street. The new stream incorporates weirs for oxygenating the water, wider sections of channel for reed vegetation and wet meadow mixes of wildflowers along its soft banks.
As part of our Whitethorn Village development in Naas we commissioned a totem that incorporates a bug hotel and bird boxes and as a focal point and to raise awareness amongst residents of the importance of the Whitethorn tree to our native flora and fauna.
Green Walls
We have successfully implemented Green Wall solutions across our developments as an alternative to more heavily engineered concrete solutions.
Green Walls are formed by using steel cages with a canvas lining that is then backfilled with earth from the site while a layer of topsoil mixed with native grasses and wildflowers creates the vegetative cover. Green Walls provide a habitat for species of burrowing insects which will support populations of smaller birds.
Our Glenheron development incorporates 300 metres of Green Wall 4 to 6 metres in height. In Summer, the wall is festooned with masses of Oxeye Daisy, Vetches and other wildflowers. The steep rake of the Green wall also allowed us to maximise the usability of green space preserving to space for play area, lawn and young woodland trees. For future Green Wall projects, we have developed a bespoke seed mix of native creeping plants and grasses for our Green Walls that will improve the density of vegetative cover.
Oak Park– 90% Native Trees
As part of our Oak Park development we constructed a new 2.9 hectare public park. The concept for the park is a semi-natural landscape that requires limited horticultural maintenance while sustaining biodiversity. The park incorporates a greenway for pedestrians and cyclists and links into a chain of existing green spaces along the Broadfield stream linking into Naas town centre.
The Park has been planted with native woodland planting consisting of exclusively native tree and shrubs species: Oak, Pine, Hazel, Willow, Hawthorn, Sloe, Viburnum, Cherry and Holly. This was a practical response to the steep site gradients and also an opportunity to create a wildlife corridor between the town centre and rural hinterland. The woodland will support a wide diversity of invertebrates species, birds and mammalian fauna including foraging bats, badgers, field mice, rabbits and foxes.
In total 3,300 native trees and shrubs have been planted in the park. As it matures, the woodland will be dominated by Oaks and will mimic the Oak woodlands that once covered the plains of Kildare before the arrival of the first farmers thousands of years ago.
The Oak Park development was awarded the ‘Excellence in Planning Award’, at the Property Industry Excellence Awards 2019.
Mariavilla Hedgerows
Field boundary hedgerows are the ecological backbone of the Irish countryside. They incorporate a wide variety of plants within a small area; mimicking the edge of a woodland with tall trees, lower shrub layer brambles and grassland; in addition to mosses, lichens and fungi.
A well-established hedgerow can support hundreds of species of insect, dozens of species of bird including endangered species such as the Yellowhammer. Mammals such as rabbits, hedgehogs, badgers and bats live and forage along these natural highways.
Hedgerows are particularly rich sources of food for animals in Winter, including the berries of Elder, Holly, Hawthorn and Bramble, the nuts of the Hazel, Oak acorns and even the black berries of Ivy.
The existing landscape structure of woodland, hedgerow and tree lines formed the basis for our site plan at Mariavilla. The Lyreen River meanders through the site and the woodland on its steep northern bank was retained as a wildlife corridor and refuge. The hedgerows and tree lines were incorporated into linear parks and neighbourhood greens.
A much-degraded hedgerow on the boundary with an historic house was replanted with over 1,600 whips and trees to regenerate over 400 metres of field hedgerow; incorporating 10 different native species including rambling Honeysuckle, Native Cherry, Hawthorn, Oak, Holly and Pine.
In addition to the planting, bat boxes were incorporated on veteran trees and trunks of felled trees have been left to support fungi and provide nesting for insects.
Heads up from IGBC:
Do you want to know more about Nature & Biodiversity in the Built Environment? Sign up for our new Course Mail, delivered in four easy-to-read emails. The Course Mail will introduce the importance of restoring nature and biodiversity in the built environment, not just for the intrinsic value but in order to mitigate and adapt to climate change, promote the health and wellbeing of people and create long lasting socio-economic value.
You can also find other interesting webinar and key contents on the Biodiversity section of the Learning Hub.
Cairn Homes plc is the leading Irish homebuilder committed to building high-quality, competitively-priced, sustainable new homes in great locations. At Cairn, the homeowner is at the very centre of the design process and they strive to provide an unparalleled customer service throughout each stage of the home-buying journey. A new Cairn home is thoughtfully designed and built to last with a focus on creating shared spaces and environments where communities prosper. Cairn owns a c. 16,800 unit land bank across 36 residential development sites, over 90% of which are located in the Greater Dublin Area (“GDA”) with excellent public transport and infrastructure links.
Daibhí Mac Domhnaill MILI is a Landscape Architect and Urban Designer with over 20 years professional experience. He has been working with Irish Home Builder Carin Plc as Head of Landscape and Urban Design since 2016, overseeing the successful completion of award-winning residential schemes including; 6 Hanover Quay, Marianella and Oak Park in Naas. With Cairn Daibhí has brought a biodiversity orientated approach to the design and management of open space and public realm and placed an emphasis on site specific design and place making. Daibhí also guest tutors in landscape and urban design at University College Dublin.