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Caring for Cannington’s wildlife

By Hinkley Point C media team | Posted July 23, 2019

Caring for Cannington’s wildlife

To support the construction work at Hinkley Point C, any potential impact on local wildlife is closely monitored. As part of this, EDF Energy puts measures in place to protect local wildlife and natural habitats.

One area benefiting from this investment is Cannington Bypass, as the Ecology Team continues to work to protect a number of species including badgers, bats, otters and Great Crested Newts. Some of the carefully designed features on the bypass include:

  • New pond - together with the existing pond, this provides a great habitat for Great Crested Newts.
  • Artificial shelter – these are places of shelter for a variety of rare species. Adjacent to the ponds, they can be used by newts when they’re out of the water during the winter months.
  • Bat underpass – this allows bats to cross the road through an underground tunnel. The edges are planted to make it more attractive.
  • Otter underpass – located at the point that the bypass crosses a small brook, an underpass was built to allow otters to pass under the road safely.
  • Badger underpass - fencing along the edges of the bypass guides badgers to the underpass in the centre of the bypass. This helps reduce the number of animals crossing the road.

Extensive areas of wildflower grassland, hedges and trees have also been planted to enhance biodiversity and improve the development’s visual impact.

Luke Stevens, Land and Ecology Lead at EDF Energy, said: “Some of the planting began back in 2012 and it’s great to see the wild flower areas come into their own.

“We have films and pictures that show all the mitigation measures are being used – which, after all, is the best mark of success.”

See if you can spot the wildlife protection measures as you travel along the bypass.

Trusted partnership

A 45-strong team from the Somerset Wildlife Trust recently visited Hinkley Point C to find out more about its environmental protection measures. The tour was part of the Trust’s Brilliant Coast campaign, a project supported by the Hinkley Point C Community Fund to promote coastal wildlife.