Conway Tower -
Wayside, St Brelade's Bay
Project Area
Ecology & Habitats
Specialism
Protected Species & Habitat Creation
Year
2017 – 2022
This was a complicated project whereby the buildings within a 5,000m2 coastal strip around the former Wayside Café were proposed for demolition and clearance, with a new café, accommodation, shop and houses proposed.
Ecological surveys confirmed the presence of high numbers of protected reptiles (green lizards and slow worms), as well as protected amphibians, small mammals, plants and birds within the coastal habitats. We worked extensively with the States of Jersey Land Resource Management Team to provide a suitable mitigation strategy and habitat creation plan to allow the proposed development works to be passed by Planning, with the ecological considerations being a key part of the eventual passing of this Planning Application.
The difficulty was that this site was ‘isolated’ in ecological terms, with very little suitable surrounding habitat to flush or translocate protected wildlife into. As such, an ‘onsite receptor site’ needed to be created and established before clearance works of the site commencing, so that any animals found could be translocated to safe and suitable habitats onsite.
Short-term mitigation
Phasing of works was a major part of these works, with areas of habitat adjacent to the promenade created and enhanced to make them suitable to receive and support the identified protected species groups, before an area of the main site being cleared.
Dune creation therefore occurred in three stages over a 3 year period. This approach allowed works to commence in other parts of the site whilst new areas of habitat were created ahead of the next area of the development site being cleared.
A ‘one way’ exclusion fence was erected around the core development area, so that any animals translocated or flushed out of the works area could not return.
A multi-phased trapping and translocation of reptiles (and any other protected wildlife) found within the works area / under our survey mats was undertaken, with animals placed over the exclusion fence into the newly created sand dune habitat.
A directional and phased vegetation cut was undertaken to drive any remaining animals out of the works area and into the receptor site.
These works were all undertaken in autumn and spring (outside of the main breeding and hibernation period) to reduce any impact on this species group during sensitive life-cycle stages.
‘Tool-box talks’ and ecological supervision were required to ensure any work by the demolition/clearance contractors was done sensitively and Ecologists were on site when hotspot areas for wildlife were cleared, to allow any animals uncovered to be rescued and taken to the receptor site.
Management and removal of invasive plant species from the new receptor site and sand dune areas.
A Habitat Management Plan was written for the long-term management of the sand dune habitat created on-site.
Long-term enhancement
Approx 1,000m2 of sand dune habitat was created by digging out suitable sand from other areas of the site, forming undulating and natural ‘dunes’ on the coastal part of the site, turf translocation of suitable plant species, and the planting of thousands of ‘plug plants’ of marram grass.
Dry stone walls, tree stumps and log piles were also incorporated into the landscaping to create additional wildlife features.
The sand dune has become a major focal point and landscape feature of this development and created a lovely ‘natural’ backdrop to St Brelade’s Bay where so much other development and habitat loss has already occurred.
We continue to manage this habitat on behalf of the client and frequently encounter the protected wildlife groups that were translocated here.
Highlight Projects
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Living Wall - Corbiere
In order to demonstrate environmental gain in the Coastal National Park, our client included a living wall as part of their Planning Application for an extension.
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Nude Dunes - St Ouen's Bay
Protected wildlife translocation and sand dune habitat creation. This site located within the Coastal National Park was to be converted into a new beachside café.
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Green Retaining Wall - St Brelade's Bay
An engineered vegetated retaining wall system, created to replace a bank and wall that were subsiding due to high-tide wave erosion.
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Re-Development - Les Ruisseaux Estate
A private development with close proximity to a Nature Reserve, whereby full re-development of the house, gardens and pond were approved.
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Historic Farm Complex - St Ouen
Ecological surveys of this farm complex in St Ouen found Protected Species and wildlife use that required mitigation to achieve Planning Permission.
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Samarés Nurseries Re-Development
Large redundant glasshouse site with high populations of Protected Species groups present. Habitat re-creation and wildlife re-homed to specially created receptor sites.
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Bat Mitigation for Site Development
Protected species mitigation and translocation in development project that involved a full re-roof and extensive re-landscaping work.
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Wildlife Zone - Les Quennevais School
Agricultural fields re-zoned to accommodate the new school. Demonstration of environmental gain as a result of the development required.
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Heathland Restoration - Wolf's Caves
The Planning Application to build a new home at Wolf’s Caves included an element to restore the coastal slopes in front of the property to species rich heathland.
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Wildlife Pond & Waterfall - Daisy Hill
Large wildlife pond creation in a domestic garden to attract a variety of wildlife. Our client also wanted to create a natural looking stream and waterfall leading into the pond.
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Planning in the Coastal National Park
Proposed demolition of a private house within the Coastal National Park where an Ecological Assessment and Species Protection Plan were reuiqred for Planning.
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Conway Tower - Wayside, St Brelade's Bay
Protected wildlife translocation and sand dune habitat creation for a 500m2 coastal strip around the former Wayside Café.
