Family Firm Enhances Grounds Of New Residential Development

P1 Contractors Ltd and urban design architects, OOBE, have enlisted Yorkshire commercial nursery, Johnsons of Whixley Ltd, to help enhance the grounds of a new residential development, Blindwells in East Lothian.

Blindwells site owner and developer Hargreaves Land plans to transform Blindwells from a brownfield site into a rich, bio-diverse landscape with thousands of plants, trees and meadow grasslands that will enhance the grounds of the residential development and surrounding areas by increasing aesthetic value and increasing habitat opportunities for local wildlife.

The new residential development located just 12 miles from Edinburgh will comprise of 1,600 homes, educational facilities, a healthcare hub, retail outlets, a town centre and quality green open spaces to help facilitate healthy lifestyles with running, cycling and walking routes around the site.

P1’s works included the soft landscaping of all the main infrastructure and structure blocks within phases one and two.

Richard McMonagle, Director of P1 Contractors said: “Blindwells has been a great project to be involved in, The client and design team have placed a massive emphasis on the green spaces within the development to make this a highly desirable place to live and work. Having previously worked with Johnsons on all our major projects in Scotland they were our first choice to partner with on this project due to the quality & service they always deliver.”

Johnsons supply of plants so far in phases one and two has included over 25,000 Hedging and tree transplants, over 2,000 shrubs and over 160 mature trees.

Native hedging varieties such as Acer campestre, Crataegus monogyna and Prunus spinosa were used in the project to create natural screening and structure as well as providing food and shelter for wildlife.

Over 40 Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ trees were planted, a variety that has become known as the perfect street tree with clouds of white flowers appearing in spring, and in autumn its leaves turn to shades of red and purple.

Additional soft landscaping will commence in phases three and P1 hope they take the excellent collaborative approach into the future phases of the project.

Eleanor Richardson, Marketing Manager at Johnsons of Whixley said: “It’s great to be associated with this new residential development that will see our plants and trees enjoyed by residents and wildlife for decades to come. We have worked with P1 Contractors for over ten years, so it was a pleasure to have been enlisted to supply the plants for this new development and work with them again.“

Scott Waite, Head of Project Management at Hargreaves Land, said: “We’re excited to be working with Oobe and P1 Contractors to create sustainable green spaces that will leave a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy. By working together, we have a real opportunity to not only to create diverse habitats that enhance and protect our wildlife, but also transform former industrial landscapes and give them a new lease of life.”

Johnsons have supplied several projects in Scotland including The Helix Project at Falkirk, The Event Complex, Aberdeen, the new Queensferry Crossing at Edinburgh and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.