green wall

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new sustainability checklist for Brighton & Hove

The new Sustainability Checklist was published this month. All residential planning applications involving new builds and conversions within Brighton & Hove require a completed Brighton & Hove sustainability checklist.

Good news that it includes a section on Greening, which will help to make green features even more standard in developments.

It asks:

– does the development include green walls; and

– does the development include green roofs;

– how many trees will be planted?

If yes, it asks for more information including the number/area of the features, and the type of habitat green roofs incorporates.

Westergate Business Park

Part 1 of the City Plan states that the Council will continue to measure the success of its policies in part by measuring the area of green wall and green roof established through new development.

Taking a look at the portfolio for the Sustainability Checklist shows that greening is a clear ambition of the Council.

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Green fingers Sunday is on! 10am, Sunday 29 March

We’re meeting on Marine Parade, at the top of the ramp up from Madeira Drive.

Just here.

We’ll be weeding the beds, sowing some seeds and probably planting some cuttings of Japanese spindle.

Come along to help, or just to say hi!

Here is the seed list – it will add colour and interest and help keep some of the less interesting weeds down.

% Latin name Common name
2.5 Achillea millefolium Yarrow
15 Centaurea nigra Common Knapweed
2.5 Daucus carota Wild Carrot
7.5 Galium verum Lady’s Bedstraw
10 Knautia arvensis Field Scabious
7.5 Leucanthemum vulgare Oxeye Daisy
7 Lotus corniculatus Birdsfoot Trefoil
15 Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain
2 Plantago media Hoary Plantain
2.5 Primula veris Cowslip
15 Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup
7.5 Rhinanthus minor Yellow Rattle
5 Rumex acetosa Common Sorrel
1 Trifolium pratense Wild Red Clover
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Green fingers Sunday

Green fingers needed to help do some maintenance at the Madeira Drive green wall!

On Sunday 29 March at 10am some of us are meeting at the top of the ramp on Marine Parade, eastern end of the green wall near Duke’s Mound. The beds at the foot of the green wall need some maintenance – brambles and thistles and stuff. We will also be taking cuttings to plant in gaps in the wall, and may be sowing some wildflower seed.

Building Green image of green wall

Madeira Drive green wall, Brighton

Bring thick gloves, secateurs, loppers etc, coffee and cake! We can have a walk and natter about the site’s history as well if you like.

Drop us an email via the contact us page if you’d like to come.

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New research project on ivy on buildings

Ivy and other climbers have been grown and managed successfully on buildings for hundreds of years – just ask English Heritage.

ivy on house by Bromly Brothers

There are issues though – as with any facade of any material – and there are some myths.

This project at Reading University looks like it will shed some useful light on things.

There are some other links to ivy on walls on the Links and Resources page.

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Madeira Drive green wall works reaches end of first phase

Down to inspect the works at the green wall today with the Council, Ecology Consultancy and CJ Thorne.

Building Green image of green wall

Excellent work building the new, wider bed with York stone, clearing away rubbish and rubble, and cutting back the of the ivy and spindle by RW Green to improve access to the wall and manage the sheer weight and volume of vegetation.

Building Green image of green wall

Some interesting finds – including very old brackets for training wires

Building Green image of green wall fixings

and a brick portal to…somewhere!

Building Green image of hole in wall

In September the concrete facing works will take place on the bare sections, which we plan to then plant up with more spindle, ivy and hopefully some troughs to encourage more plant species.

Then should be good (with a little maintenance) for another 200 years!