A NEW development in Reading town centre is the place to bee, thanks to a new aviary installed today, to mark World Bee Day.
The companies behind the Ebb building in Station Hill have announced a new partnership that will see two beehives installed on the building.
Lincoln Property Company and MGT Investment Management have teamed up with environmental services expert, Avéole to plant the colonies, which include a queen, worker bees, drones, larvae and pollen, together with the nectar that will become honey.
The beehives will be managed by a dedicated urban beekeeper.
The Station Hill team say this is a further demonstration of their commitment to sustainability – other initiatives include nurturing four saplings planted as part of the Trees For Reading initiative. There will be 135 trees planted across the development as it nears completion.
Lee Fearnhead, Director of Construction for UK and Europe at Lincoln Property Company, said: “ We look forward to seeing the bees thrive in their new home and hope that both residents and team members alike can connect over this new initiative.
“We are committed to making Reading a happier, healthier and greener place to live and we are pleased to launch this scheme as part of a wider, ongoing programme of activities to promote sustainable best practice at Station Hill.”
And Alvéole’s urban beekeeper, Gus Crook, said: “It’s a pleasure to look after the hives at Station Hill. Honeybees are such a great catalyst for engaging with our urban ecosystem.
“We share our cities with millions of pollinating insects that we don’t even notice, even though they are vital to our existence, so there is nothing like getting up close with them and learning about their incredible impact on our planet.”
