As part of Cambridge Investment Partnership’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and enhancing biodiversity, the partnership has been working closely with Cambridge charity Phoenix Trust to commission a series of bee and bug hotels for its developments.
The latest of which has been installed at Ironworks, Mill Road. Children from nearby The Fields Children Centre, were invited along to learn about the importance of these hotels and hear from Chaz from the Phoenix Trust about how they have been made using recycled pallets and hoarding materials, which CIP has previously donated to create these impressive new hotels.
Cllr Gerri Bird, Executive Councillor for Housing at Cambridge City Council and CIP board member said: “It was wonderful to see the children so engaged about the construction of the bee and bug hotels. They also learnt about the benefits they bring to our local ecosystem for a range of insects and minibeasts in providing shelter and somewhere for them to lay their eggs and seek refuge from larger predators.”
The Phoenix Trust offers experience in the world of work to young people and adults with a range of learning disabilities and special, additional, or complex needs. Cambridge Investment Partnership has been working closely with the charity to donate surplus materials across its developments for them to use to create items such as bird boxes and garden planters to raise much-needed funds.
Tom Hill, Managing Director for The Hill Group commented: “We have had a close alliance with the Phoenix Trust for several years now and it is rewarding to see their bee and bug hotels installed at our developments. The children learnt a lot about the benefits they bring to wildlife and hope they will come back and see how they are progressing over time.”
Built on the site of the former Victorian Iron Foundry and more recently the council depot, the new community of Ironworks features 236 new studio homes, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, with half for private sale and half as council rented homes.
With almost 30% of the development green open space, great emphasis has been placed on creating a place for everyone to enjoy, with parks, high-quality landscaping and a new community centre woven into the design.
