Willmott Dixon is again taking part in CIRIA’s Big Biodiversity Challenge to show its commitment to the sustainability of habitats across the built environment.

The challenge invites leaders from across construction, infrastructure, transport, retail and Government to add new biodiversity enhancements to their sites.

These enhancements can range from installing bug hotels (below) and bat boxes, restoring riverbanks and wildflower meadows to delivering detailed biodiversity action plans. All actions taken must be enhancements over ecologist specified mitigation or BREEAM requirements, exceeding normal expectations.

The challenge follows on from Willmott Dixon’s inaugural sustainability conference where it honoured parts of the business for their achievements in promoting sustainability and set new aims and initiatives for the year to come.

Martin Ballard, Group environment manager at Willmott Dixon is chairing the BIG Challenge judging panel:

“We take our responsibilities to the environment seriously and believe that leaving a positive legacy for biodiversity benefits the built environment, in particular supporting the health and well-being of urban communities. With a little planning and cost, simple and effective action can be taken for biodiversity in the built environment.”

Biodiversity policy is a key aspect of Willmott Dixon’s commitment to the built environment, and is supported by a joint Memorandum of Understanding, established in 2014, to work with The Wildlife Trust on areas of mutual interest and benefit for people and nature.

Willmott Dixon was a winner in 2014 for its wildflower meadow enhancement at Brentford Lock and has had three projects short-listed in 2014/15.

Submissions for the 2016 awards can be made on the BIG Challenge web portal by August 2016 for the awards in October 2016.