Area characterisation:
Located on the M5, between junction 11A and junction 12. The site is surrounded by the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty.
Objective:
To create a sustainable service station which has minimal impact on its surroundings and is sensitive to surrounding environment of the Cotswolds (AONB).
Financing:
Funded by Westmorland limited / Gloucestershire Gateway Trust. A percentage of profits from service station go towards charity community projects.
Potential impacts/benefits:
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Potential impacts/ benefits |
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Challenges addressed |
Enhancing sustainable urbanisation |
Restoring ecosystems and their functions |
Developing climate change mitigation |
Developing climate change adaptation |
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Green space management and enhancing urban biodiversity |
· Improve air quality · Increase accessibility to green open space |
· Increase biodiversity
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· Carbon sequestration and storage |
· Increase infiltration and water storage |
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Public health and well-being |
· Social inclusion · Increase well-being |
· Increased cultural richness and biodiversity |
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Potential for economic opportunities and Green Jobs |
· Creation of jobs relating to construction and maintenance of NbS |
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Water management |
· Improve water quality |
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· Reduce run-off
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Actions:
As the site was flanked by the Cotswolds and Robins wood Hill, it was important to minimize the environmental impact and blend the building into the surrounding countryside.
To achieve this the buildings were designed so that they would not disturb the view, with a 4,000m2 green roof to blend the new service station into the surrounding landscape. This green roof was designed to encourage local flora and fauna to flourish. Excavated materials from construction were reused in landscaping. Extensive sustainable drainage was created, consisting of swales, bio-retention areas and filtration strips, which discharge the water into a pond and wetland area.
The unique partnership between a business, (Westmorland Limited) and a charity (Gloucestershire Gateway Trust) has enabled the creation of a number of community projects. One such project is the growing communities project, which works with unemployed individuals, helping them to gain new skills for future employment. From this, over 1000 trees have been planted on site, including an orchard.
Westmorland Ltd. also partnered with the Gloucester Gateway Trust and the Building with Nature Scheme to ensure the building benefits wildlife and increases biodiversity. The ponds are now home to breeding moorhens, newts and toads. The site also has bat boxes and raptor boxes for kestrels. The stone wall cladding of the buildings is home to many insects. The site is maintained by two in house landscape gardeners.
Transferability of result:
Useful for developments that are near wetlands, or near areas of outstanding natural beauty.
Lessons learnt:
Businesses and charities can successfully work together, and new developments can give back to local communities and the environment.
If a site is designed and constructed well, from the environmental side as well as the well-being side, this can have a positive impact on attracting wildlife to the vicinity giving customers a pleasant, green environment to enjoy.
Organisations:
Westmorland Group
Gloucestershire Gateway Trust
Client:
Design team:
AFL Architects, Buckingham Group,
Glen Howells Architects, Building With Nature
Contacts:
info@wenp.org.uk
Awards:
Project Design - ACE Engineering Excellence Awards 2015.
New Build Category - Civic Voice National Design Awards 2015.
Best Design & Development - Forecourt Trader of The Year Awards 2015.
NBS goals:
- Enhancing sustainable urbanization
- Nature-based solutions for improving well-being in urban areas
NBS benefits:
- Increase infiltration / Water storage
- Reduce run-off
- Carbon sequestration and storage
- Increase Biodiversity
- Increased cultural richness and biodiversity
- Creation of green jobs relating to construction & maintenance of NBS
- Improve air quality
- Improve water quality
- Increase accessibility to green open spaces
- Increase well-being
- Social inclusion