Bradford on Avon’s living green wall
Kate Nicholls has been watching with interest as one of the largest green walls outside London has taken shape in the town centre
By the time you read this, you will almost certainly have seen the new addition to Lamb Yard. The living green wall is an initiative of the Town Council, which has funded the project along with a number of donations from residents and an £8,000 contribution from the Arts Festival group, which kicked off the fund raising.
The wall has been built by ANS Global, a specialist company who design and integrate living green walls and roofs.
The project has been talked about for some time – and with the clearance of the bins that were a blight at the entrance to Lamb Yard, the time was right to get the wall under way. Work began on 18 July and was completed 10 days later.
Stephanie Edwards (project leader for the Kingston Mill estate) and Cllr Alex Kay (chair of the town council’s environment and green spaces committee) worked really tenaciously to make the project happen. Stephanie said: “This community-led living wall project, launched in December 2019, has brought together people throughout the community: residents, business owners, environmental groups and the town council.”
The wall is owned by Alison Abbot and architect Ray Winrow; Ray worked with ANS Global to design the formal structure. A new box alongside the wall holds the computerised electronics that manage the plants’ watering system.
A town council spokesperson said: “Bradford on Avon is one of the few towns of its size to host such a unique community project, delivered by its town council. The project will have a massive impact, not only adding to the beauty of the area, but also contributing to our goal of being a more environmentally friendly town.”
ANS Global uses natural soil as a growing medium for the plants. The company said: “Using a natural substrate means we have greater flexibility in plant selection, allowing for native species, pollinator planting and sources of nectar. This creates a habitat for bees, burrowing insects and encourages natural colonisation. Our organic soil substrate also includes green waste, furthering the sustainability of the project.”
So, here in Bradford on Avon, we’re hopefully contributing to a greener landscape right in the heart of the town.
