Barratt Mercia plants for victory in battle to save British bee
8th September 2011
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Britain's shrinking bee population is being given a much-needed boost from the Warwickshire's leading housebuilder Barratt Homes, which has planted a selection of bee friendly plants at Bluebell - the company's landmark Nuneaton development.
Bee numbers declined by 20 per cent last winter alone, according to a survey by the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA).
And that's not only bad news for people who like honey. Bees are vital pollinators in the food chain, with some 70 per cent of crops in the UK either dependent on, or benefiting from visits from the humble bee. It has even been estimated that their value to the British economy is around £200 million.
With modern farming practices continuing to disturb the bee's natural habitats, Barratt Mercia is taking the initiative by planting species such as honeysuckles, foxgloves, poppies, lavenders and catmint around its new homes.
"We aim to create outstanding environments where people will aspire to live," said Steve Barton, Sales Manager for Barratt Mercia.
"For that reason we want to support the biodiversity at our developments and create new habitats which will be there for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.
"We have incorporated a selection of bee friendly plants at Bluebell and hope to do the same on all our new developments wherever possible.
"We hope that our initiative will raise awareness of how important the bee is in the British garden and encourage others to provide more habitat and forage at their own homes."
"It is very encouraging to see companies such as Barratt Mercia taking steps to help the bee population and would persuade more people to think about ways that they too can help," said Tim Lovett, President of the BBKA.
"People can encourage bees to visit their garden by planting single flowering plants and vegetables, such as flowering herbs, mints and beans. Tall plants such as foxgloves and hollyhocks are also popular with bees."
Prices at Bluebell range from £78,000 for a one-bedroom coach house to £150,000 for a three-bedroom family home. For more information, please contact the sales office on 02476 399 520 open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Alternatively, please call the sales hotline on 0844 811 9988 open seven days a week from 8am to 9pm or log on to www.barratthomes.co.uk
Barratt Mercia has been confirmed as meriting the maximum five star official rating from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) for the second year in a row. The news was announced after more than 20,000 new home buyers across the country took part in this year's HBF customer satisfaction survey.
