50. Windsor Drive Recreation Ground

Themes: Promoting appropriate and sympathetic land management; Improving water quality and water quantity

Objectives:

  • Improve existing wildlife corridors
  • Increase the amount and quality of habitat
  • Reduce pollution through physical improvements around the river

Project description

Central Bedfordshire Council is proposing the build of 100 homes on the Windsor Drive recreation ground next to the Houghton Brook and there will be a planning for real consultation with local residents during 2021. 

Initial comments made by the Luton Lea Catchment Partnership to the proposal include;

  • Any work in the area of the brook and surrounding habitats, both adjacent to the site and upstream and downstream of this, should seek to achieve biodiversity net gain
  • The section of brook between Park Road North and Windsor Drive is very deep and overshadowed and opportunities should be considered for reprofiling the banks and undertaking tree works to achieve optimum conditions
  • Windsor Drive, northern edge of proposed development – similar consideration should be made of the river geomorphology and habitats including re-naturalisation. This is mainly tree management along the cycleway on the northern side with restoration of more natural banks on the southern bank.
  • Scrub area on north east corner of the site
    • Explore options for the creation of wet woodland (priority habitat)
    • This area already receives drainage from Kingsland Close and the treatment of this incoming water should be improved
    • It is anticipated that future surface water drainage may also come into this area and it is important that it is creatively managed to achieve environmental gain. This could include the creation of a suitable sustainable drainage system (SuDS) on the edge of the area to ‘treat’ water before it is released into the scrub and then habitat and potential habitat improvements within the area
    • The SuDS should be designed to be attractive through profile and planting and not just be an engineered depression.

Further information and updates will be added to the website, as they arise.

Project lead: Central Bedfordshire Council

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