Extension of student accommodation at St Catherine’s College, Oxford requiring Ecological Design Strategy
The brief
St Catherine’s College, Oxford wished to extend student accommodation and create a new graduate centre. Planning conditions required a written Ecological Design Strategy (EDS) addressing biodiversity compensation and enhancement prior to development.
What did we do?
MKA Ecology undertook site surveys and produced the EDS as required. It specified the means by which existing ecological features would be protected during construction and set out a scheme for establishing new ecological features appropriate to the site, its heritage and setting. The strategy included detailed planting schemes and management regimes for a wild flower meadow, understorey and new woodlands, bat sensitive lighting and the installation of bat roost boxes and bird nest boxes in suitable locations.
What was the outcome for the client?
The client was enabled to discharge the planning condition and demonstrated sustainable ecological enhancement for the benefit and wellbeing of students and staff.
Find out more about how we can help – Find out more about how we can help – contact us
What our clients said
“MKA ensure the importance of considering ecological implications is fully understood to ensure ecological value isn’t comprised. On schemes in which there is an inevitable impact MKA provide pragmatic advice to review if mitigation measures are feasible.”
Disused quarry transformed for housing
Road building affecting badgers, water voles and barn owls
Ecological Impact Assessment at Peterhouse Technology Park
Long term monitoring, Habitat Creation and Restoration
Protected species surveys