Grosvenor Property UK and the Universities Superannuation Scheme have agreed terms to transfer ownership of a 148-acre nature reserve in Cambridge to the Wildlife Trust.
The country park and nature reserve at Trumpington Meadows, a 1,200-home development in Cambridge, will be transferred to the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.
The deal includes funds for the long-term maintenance of the area for an indefinite period. Grosvenor and USS have also funded the construction of onsite facilities and equipment. The pair will continue to manage the wider development in partnership with the trust.
Andy Sharpe, director of strategic land at Grosvenor, said: “The lessons learnt at Trumpington Meadows will help us to continue to build sustainably and achieve our business-wide biodiversity commitments.
“It isn’t typical for developers to give away a patch of land this size, but in this case it is absolutely the right call. The country park is a valuable community asset and this agreement will safeguard this green space for generations to come.”
Martin Baker, conservation manager at the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, said: “When developers, planners and conservationists work together we can create homes for people and high-quality space for nature – Trumpington Meadows is a great example of this.
“We took agricultural land with little wildlife present and have transformed it into a reserve where wildflowers, butterflies and birds are thriving. It’s also hugely popular with local people, even more so recently when green spaces close to our homes became vital for all our wellbeing.
“We hope it inspires other developers to create partnerships early in the planning process with their local Wildlife Trust.”
The Wildlife Trust has maintained the reserve and country park since 2015. Its relationship with Grosvenor and USS began in 2008, when it advised on planting strategies and seed mixes as well as the layout of public paths and bridleways.
See also: ‘Work at the pace of nature’: How real estate can embrace wellbeing
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