Ecology and Conservation
With any historically significant site, the conservation of any existing buildings and their surroundings is of paramount importance. And this is absolutely true of the Fort Bovisand site and its redevelopment into Bovisand Harbour. As an official rare and important scheduled monument, using the right techniques and materials to regenerate the existing buildings is just as crucial as protecting this Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the nature and wildlife that surrounds it.
Sustainable homes built for the future
Early in our architectural design stages, it was specified that each of the site’s homes and apartments would be as low-impact and eco-friendly as possible. And that meant using a range of sustainable methods and materials (all locally sourced wherever possible) to ensure we meet or exceed every benchmark to achieve Passivhaus standards for energy-efficiency.
As a result of this, each property is currently rated (as designed) with an EPC of B with an environmental impact rating of B. To further our environmental commitment, the Bovisand Harbour development also uses:
Clean, green electricity
With the added benefits of faster infrastructure installation, harnessing the power of renewables to produce clean, green electricity reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and the resulting CO2 emissions and ensures a more efficient and economic way forward.
EV charging points
Green energy also extends to a range of electric car charging points, for both residents and visitors, installed around the development. To help power the EV network, we’re choosing renewable energy and the installation of an array of on-site solar PV panels (subject to planning).
Protecting the surrounding environment
Beyond the building standards at Bovisand Harbour, special attention has also been paid to the site’s immediate surrounding areas. The shores and cliffs on the eastern side of Plymouth Sound, from Mount Batten Point down to Andurn Point, just south of Crownhill Bay, are a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Given its importance, we made considerable efforts to ensure the continued preservation and protection of the coastline’s character by:
Completing cliff stability work to prevent further coastline erosion damage
Building new and restoring the existing buildings, making them sympathetic to the natural surroundings with minimal disruption to the SSSI and the wider Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Protecting and enhancing the protected landscapes, trees, woodlands, and hedgerows that immediately surround the site
And, as home to an amazing collection of assorted sea birds and marine life, the area around Bovisand Harbour is also a Voluntary Marine Conservation Area. Around the coast in Wembury, the Wembury Marine Centre plays a significant role in raising awareness about ocean conservation and protecting the plants, animals, and marine wildlife found in and around this special area.
Wider marine conservation work
Beyond the immediate area of Bovisand Habour, the natural harbour and the waters of The Sound is home to a range of protected habitats and over a thousand species of fish and other marine life. Thanks to this, and the city’s maritime importance, ‘Britain’s Ocean City’ of Plymouth and The Sound is now the UK’s first designated National Marine Park.
With this commendable status, through a series of investments, projects, and initiatives, the National Marine Park will be in a great position to encourage increased prosperity through tourism and marine leisure, ecological science, research, and restoration, engaging the local community with the marine and maritime environments, and more.
And, while being the largest aquarium in the UK and home to over 4,000 animals, Plymouth’s National Marine Aquarium is much more than a groundbreaking and educational tourist attraction. It’s also the home of the Ocean Conservation Trust, a charity that aims to connect people with the ocean and work to protect and restore the rich and diverse species and habits that reside there.
A recent project by the Trust saw them replace almost 10-acres of lost seagrass meadows in The Sound, close to Jennycliff Bay. Not only is this a crucial step in restoring natural marine habitat, but as seagrass captures CO2 from the air nearly 35 times faster than our rainforests, it’s crucial to tackling our climate emergency as well.
