Our partnership with Cala Homes
The Scottish SPCA has partnered with Cala Homes to raise awareness of animal welfare among Cala residents and encourage those in housing developments to connect with wildlife and the environment, in particular that which is on their door step.
The initiative Take a Walk on the Wild Side also encourages residents to make use of their local environments and spend time outdoors to help maintain positive physical and mental health.
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
The Scottish SPCA and Cala Homes have partnered to bring you access to many hints, tips and fun ideas that will help you and your family identify and encourage Scotland’s amazing spectrum of wild animals into the natural environments around you. This may be your garden, or it may be the shared grounds around the estate.
Scotland’s big five are the golden eagle, red deer, red squirrel, otter and harbour seal and although you may not be able to see all of these animals from your doorstep, there will still be plenty of wild animals that you will come across daily whilst walking through and beyond your new Cala development.
Scottish SPCA/Cala Homes - Environmental Policy
At Cala, we work with independent ecologists and other accredited experts across Scotland, taking the time to properly understand the potential ecological impact of a development, as well as the ecological opportunities that new development can bring.
Because every development is unique in terms of location, landscape and wildlife, we take time to select the right ecologists and experts that we feel are best-placed to create ecological value on a site-by-site basis.
All of our sites undergo a preliminary ecological analysis to assess the potential for different species such as badgers, bats and squirrels, and we then bring in experts such as arborists or wildlife specialists to carry out species-specific, detailed assessments and help us create management plans.
The mitigation plans and measures that we put in place on each site are typically agreed through the planning process, becoming planning obligations.
An initial ecological assessment of every site is carried out, and bespoke recommendations are then made on any further investigations needed for specific species that are indicated as being present in the area. After these more detailed, species-specific analyses are carried out, and where action is required, we work with independent specialists and in accordance with the relevant licences to come up with management plans.
Mitigation measures can include things like fingertip searches, monitoring of wildlife activity, creating alternative habitats and tree works procedures. For example, tree works which are carried out during bird nesting seasons would involve an RSPB accredited expert. Generally, with measures such as stand-off zones, together with limitations around light, sound, and vibrations when building adjacent to protect wildlife, we are able to deliver our developments in an ecologically responsible way.
We always aim to keep wildlife in place, working safely around it, and only seek to create alternative habitats where absolutely necessary. This can include measures like bat boxes and swift bricks.
We also keep our sites as safe as possible, so that any visiting wildlife keen to explore can do so safely. One good example of safe practice that benefits wildlife would be our ‘closed holes’ policy that mitigates against wildlife becoming trapped or stranded.
If an initial ecological assessment by our third-party experts identifies species that might be present on a site, we then carry out more thorough, bespoke investigations into that species and come up with a plan for how to manage its presence.
We find that further investigations often cover species such as badgers, bats and certain birds. In all circumstances, our bespoke mitigation and management plans seek to protect all species within the site, carefully working around them using measures such as exclusion zones as well limiting light, sound, and vibrations on affected parts of the site. Part of our diligence also involves understanding how specific species use and move around the site. We achieve this by utilising hidden cameras, strategically positioned to get as much information as is necessary to better understand the routes and behaviours of species.
Sometimes, where necessary, we create alternative habitats using measures such as bat boxes or swift and bat bricks.
Our construction waste is segregated on site and then removed by specialist contractors. More than 98% of Cala’s construction waste is diverted from landfill, and we aim to achieve 100% diversion within the next two years. Wherever possible, we seek to design out waste and encourage best practice amongst our construction staff and sub-contractors. We are seeking to reduce our construction waste intensity by a further 50% before 2030. Within our offices, we recycle paper, cardboard and plastic as standard. We also work with local charities to donate our unwanted IT equipment for reuse.
All of our sites adhere to SEPA guidelines when it comes to protection of waterways, as detailed in the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. This forms part of our Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP), a live document we use to review, modify and revise processes as a site develops.
All developments have regularly inspected Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in place for surface water drainage and, at the outset of any development, we identify all water courses and possible pollution paths and put measures in place to ensure best practice is achieved. For example, we might use traps and cut-off trenches or install silt barriers, hay-filled silt trenches or terram barriers for run-off water to stop it from reaching waterways. We also use gulley inserts to avoid silt being washed into the drainage network, and regular cleaning of roads within sites is also commonplace.
Other prevention measures include making sure that we store oil and fuels safely in vandal-proof containers and ensuring that site management and operatives are trained to use spill kits. We also use drip trays in designated areas for refuelling.
We carry out daily and weekly environmental monitoring on our sites, including the use of a water quality meter, to ensure these measures are performing, effective and properly maintained.
In the unlikely event that pollution of a waterway were to occur, we would notify SEPA and immediately instigate a recovery plan, in collaboration with our environmental partners where appropriate, and potentially with SEPA’s input, depending on the nature of the incident and specifics of the site. This action plan forms part of the bespoke CEMP in place for each development.
Our commitments at the moment are development specific but by the end of 2022, our goal is to have formulated a strategy and action plan to enhance biodiversity across our sites. We are currently developing science-based targets to help us benchmark our goals and progress.
Should any protected species be identified on a site, we work with our partner ecologists to follow the relevant regulations and consider ways to ensure protection of the habitat. This might mean looking at mitigation measures which could involve relocation of, or creation of an alternative habitat with agreement of the local council and NatureScot, and guidance from the experts we consult.