Rastrick School Site Redevelopment

Award type: Full Award (Subject to post construction sign off)

Award date: 11 December 2023

Location: Brighouse, West Yorkshire

Project type: Residential

Applicant: D2M3 (Yorkshire) Limited

BwN Assessor: SoSustainable

The Rastrick project describes the sensitive redevelopment of a former school site on Ogden Lane in Rastrick, comprising the construction of six dwellings and the conversion of part of an existing school building to create five further dwellings, together with creation of a new area of parkland. 

The project successfully embeds retained heritage features and buildings within a richly planted urban setting, including creation of a proposed pond / wetland area, wildflower-rich grassland, bioswales, climbing plants, green roofs, new and retained native broad-leaved trees and shrubs providing pollen, nectar, seeds and fruits, a range of integrated bird and bat boxes and insect hotels, and creation of ‘hedgehog highways’. The project will thereby create a mosaic of new habitats to support bats, birds, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and invertebrates within the site boundary, and function as a stepping-stone for mobile species in the village and wider landscape beyond. 

As a small, gated community, the Rastrick project has responded to the challenge of ensuring green infrastructure aspirations are delivered and continue to deliver net gains into the long-term though a Green Infrastructure Biodiversity and Management Plan, which will be converted into a Conservation Covenant. Together with planning conditions, this will secure the detailed, long-term management, maintenance and monitoring prescriptions set out in a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan for 30 years.