The UK government is hoping to create eco-towns. Later in the spring of 2008, the government will announce a short list of 12-15 areas that will potentially host new eco-towns. From this list, as many as 10 towns will be constructed, focusing on renewable energy, zero-carbon buildings, and support for local communities and local businesses. While they haven’t decided where these towns will be yet, they have a great example in Cambourne already up and running.
The Cambourne development in Cambridgeshire was built to be a user friendly town for both people and wildlife. There are plenty of cycle paths and walkways, and people who live there walk to school, to the grocery store and for pleasure. Plenty of people use these paths, but one of the biggest bonuses of having the extra space is the wildlife that has thrived and even grown in the area.
Water voles, skylarks, great crested newts, dragonflies and badgers are a few of the different types of wildlife that have taken to the spaces in and around Cambourne. One reason for this is the type of space that has been preserved and even created along with the development – there are wetlands, wooded areas and wildlife corridors that provide habitat for the animals.
This ecologically-oriented design was arrived at with plenty of forethought and planning. Natural features that were already in place prior to the new development were mapped out with the help of the Wildlife Trusts. These areas included existing woodland, ponds and a number of old hedges and watercourses. These older features were then linked together with walking and cycling pathways as well as with new meadows, woodlands and wetlands. After creating the green infrastructure, the developers then allocated land for homes, roads and businesses.
