Unveiling of newt mosaic, Marnel Park, Basingstoke
September 2008 saw the unveiling ceremony of a great crested newt mosaic at Marnel Park, Basingstoke. The unveiling ceremony was the culmination of a project involving the internationally-acclaimed artist Julieann Worrall Hood and year seven children at Everest Community College, Basingstoke funded by David Wilson Homes. The forms a focal point at the heart of the development.The Landmark Practice has been closely involved with the development at Marnel Park for eight years.
Our Principal Ecologist, Louise Redgrave, coordinated development of the mitigation strategy for great crested newts, which breed in a pond adjacent to the site, and managed the phased translocation of newts from the development areas. She has since managed site monitoring which has found that the development has had no significant impact on the great crested newt population and that mitigation works have been very successful.
Central to the mitigation strategy is raising public awareness of great crested newts at this site. As well as the high profile mosaic project, explanatory leaflets have also been issued to home buyers and interpretation boards have been installed.