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Scheme 08: Matson and Robinswood

Retrofit SUDS and habitat improvements

Located within the Matson and Robinswood Wards

Three key locations have been identified in this area for habitat and bio-diversity improvements.

At Banebury Road public open space (POS) it's intended to retro-fit a Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) through the park to create wetland features whilst improving habitat, water quality and surface water management.  For the wider area to introduce a wildflower meadow with elements of native tree planting to compliment the area.

The proposals for Matson Park include the creation of a number of wetland scrapes and introduce a wildflower meadow with associated native tree planting; the existing sports facilities will remain.

Haycroft Drive POS features the Matson Brook.  It's intended to replace the amenity grass in part with wildflower meadow with paths cut through the meadows to add interest and encourage well-being.

Updates

May 2022

Baneberry Road public open space consultation letters are due to be sent out to local properties and put up around the site.  These documents detail the proposals for the environmental improvement works and includes a sketch of the scheme.

We would like your feedback and any other comments on the proposals.

The proposals include:

  • Diverting surface water runoff off the highway through drop-kerb swale inlets
  • Constructing shallow swales and a small pond
  • Constructing boardwalks to help ease of access
  • Sowing wildflower meadow areas
  • Planting native trees and bulbs
  • Changing grass cutting frequencies to ensure that wildflowers meadows thrive once established.  A hay-cut will be carried out around July with tidy-up cuts in the spring and autumn.
  • Installing bat and bird boxes in certain trees.

The benefits of the proposal include:

  • Helping to promote the physical and mental well-being of the users of the space.
  • A biodiverse habitat, supporting birds, mammals, invertebrate species, pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
  • Creation of an attractive natural wildflower meadow display.
  • Improvement to the connectivity between habitats, helping wildlife to move around urban areas.
  • A reduction in flash flooding due to longer grass retaining and releasing water more slowly than regularly mown grass.
  • A reduction in flood risk as surface water runoff is held back in the swales and pond, slowing down the rate that it enters the drainage network.
  • A further reduction in flood risk due to longer grass retaining and releasing water more slowly than regularly mown grass.

Please send feedback and comments to urban.greening@gloucester.gov.uk by 5 June 2022. Alternatively, you can use the feedback form on the Urban Greening project home page or you can write to ‘ERDF Urban Greening Project’ using the postal address found on the consultation letter (PDF, 868.2 KB).

Artist's impression (JPG, 6 MB) of proposed works.

October 2021

Haycroft Drive (planting plan (PDF, 382 KB)) is currently being prepared for wildflower seeding,

In order to allow the wildflower seed to make contact with the earth and germinate it has been necessary to cultivate the soil and create bare ground. The bare soil may persist for a number of months, but will gradually ‘green-up’ as the seeds begin to germinate.

Next year at Haycroft Drive there should be an attractive display of cornfield annual flowers including poppies, corncockles and cornflowers. These will act as a ‘nurse crop’, protecting the slower more subtle, perennial wildflowers to establish. Over time, the perennial wildflowers should become increasingly diverse with species such as ox eye daisy, hawkbit and wild carrot, providing essential habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.

Works on the seeding are planned to be completed by November.

Native daffodil bulbs will be planted this autumn, and tree planting will be carried out over the winter.

It should be noted that the meadow planting at Haycroft Drive is, to a degree, experimental, as we are mindful that sheep freely roam and graze this area. We will erect a temporary protective fence for the first season, but after that we are likely to remove it, and see if we achieve a short species rich sward.

December 2019

Design work for this location is currently underway.  When ready, details will be posted here.