New ‘rewilding spaces’ to boost biodiversity across Wellingborough launched by housing provider
Northamptonshire housing association Greatwell Homes is creating a series of new ‘rewilding spaces’ across its communities in the Wellingborough area.
The initiative marks a major step forward in its commitment to enhancing local biodiversity and creating greener, healthier neighbourhoods and forms a key part of the organisation’s wider ‘Your Great Spaces’ programme, which focuses on improving outdoor environments for the local community.
The rewilding spaces are specially designated areas within Greatwell Homes’ neighbourhoods that will be allowed to grow more naturally, encouraging wildflowers, grasses, insects and birds to flourish.
By reducing intensive maintenance and promoting natural growth, these areas will help restore ecological balance and create thriving pockets of nature right on residents’ doorsteps.
The first phase of the programme will see rewilding spaces introduced in 10 selected locations across Wellingborough, covering a total of 1,000 square metres- the equivalent to around four tennis courts- with further sites planned as the initiative grows.
Each area - located in the Earls Barton, Queensway and Hemmingwell areas as well as the town centre - has been chosen for its potential to support wildlife corridors, increase pollinator activity and provide residents with more vibrant, engaging green spaces.
Research has shown that rewilding of areas can significantly improve biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions and support people’s well-being.
A wildflower meadow study by the University of Cambridge found meadow areas supported around three times more plant, spider and bug species than closely mown lawn, with 25 times more invertebrate biomass, while reduced mowing and fertilising helped cut carbon emissions linked to grounds maintenance.
It has also been proven that regular access to greenspace can reduce GP visits by 28 per cent and could save the NHS £2.1 billion annually.
There are also plans to encourage residents to send in any pictures of the rich variety of wildflowers, insects and other species they spot as the sites mature, through specially designed signs on the sites.
The green programme builds on the success of a similar project completed last year which saw the housing provider create a thriving ‘Butterfly Bank’ in the Queensway area of Wellingborough as part of its Burns Road Community Hub development.
John Ross, head of housing and neighbourhoods at Greatwell Homes said: “We’re incredibly excited about our rewilding spaces programme which are a simple but powerful way to bring nature back into our neighbourhoods and make a positive difference to them.
"By giving these spaces the freedom to grow, we’re creating habitats that support biodiversity while offering residents more enjoyable and environmentally rich places to live.
“A central part of our Live Greatwell+ corporate plan is our Live Green strategy and this initiative is another example of our commitment to move towards becoming a net zero carbon business by 2050.”