The unique whin vegetation found in the Northumberland National Park in the north of England is to be used to create a pioneering roof structure for the park’s new Landscape Discovery Centre near Haltwhistle.
The project is the first of its kind to use the wild flowers, grasses and mosses that grow in the National Park and the team are working with students from universities in the region to monitor and compare plant establishment techniques for successful growth and also investigate its potential commercial applications as the project progresses.
Described as a conservation project of local and national significance, the aim is to enhance the visitor experience at the site with the green rood becoming a microcosm showcase for the native Northumbrian landscape. It will also provide a wide range of research and experiential opportunities to test its application as a green roofing material and increase opportunities for members of the public to engage with and understand this rare grassland.
Across Northumberland, a number of Whin sites are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), representing the country’s very best in wildlife and geology. Stuart Evans, the Sill project director at Northumberland National Park Authority, said it is essential that they are protected.
‘We are particularly excited by the latest developments of the Sill’s ground breaking green roof. A project to create an exterior space from natural upland plants and grasses such as Whin vegetation has never before been attempted in the UK,’ he explained.
‘The fact that Northumberland National Park is spearheading this innovative new design, marks a critical milestone in the Sill project as a whole. Potentially this could have much wider commercial applications in the future and as a result, we are undertaking a project working with engineers to research the structural components of the new roof,’ he added.
Simon Ainley, YHA head of capital fundraising, said it will be a great educational resource as it adds another learning dimension to the facilities at the Sill. ‘The roof will be a fascinating living habitat for local wildlife and, I’m sure it will inspire more people to visit and discover the National Park. YHA works to inspire everyone, especially young people, and a visit to the Sill will certainly do that,’ he pointed out.
Public opinion swayed toward the creation of a green roof from natural materials, which would form part of the Northumbrian landscape, as plans for the new Landscape Discovery Centre emerged and an extensive programme of public consultation took place.
In order to take the initiative forward, Northumberland National Park Authority and YHA have also enlisted the support of botanist and local Whin vegetation expert, Janet Simkin, and landscape architects, Glen Kemp, to identify the most appropriate species of vegetation and develop trial plots in the Hadrian’s Wall area.
The plots will be nurtured over the course of a two year period, to help identify the preferred growing medium for vegetation on the green roof of the £10.5 million Sill building once it is complete in 2016.
Philip Barker, the landscape architect from Glen Kemp in charge of the development of the green roof said it will be an unique space. ‘Green roof is a concept that has been tried and tested many times but we’re doing something that has never been done before in the UK. Techniques for using native plant species to create valuable wildlife habitats on green roof structures have been developed more recently, but as part of the new landscape discovery centre, we will create a unique space that is specifically focused around rare Northumbrian vegetation,’ he explained.
‘This will give us a great opportunity to teach our community and visitors about the habitats of our National Park through all seasons of the year. The project is a vital step forward in the conservation and protection of a rare species of grassland which only grows in specific areas of Northumberland National Park,’ he added.
