The County Council has provided nearly £40,000 to help Abbey People transform the grass verge on Barnwell Road into a thriving, rich biodiverse natural space.
Previously a plain grass verge next to a busy Cambridge commuter route and frequently the site of unsafe and anti-social parking, the new ‘river’ of woodland plants – a 250m long growing sculptural feature – is a community nature space, which will improve the air quality of the local area, increase biodiversity, and provide urban drainage.
On Wednesday 27 August, Councillor Peter MacDonald, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council; Councillor Alison Whelan, Chair of the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee (CoSMIC); and Councillor Elliot Tong, the council’s local member for the Abbey area of Cambridge, visited the project.
During the visit, Councillor MacDonald presented local charity and project organisers – Abbey People – with a commemorative plaque, before joining a guided tour of the site.
The initiative is one of 26 community projects across the county to receive support from the Cambridgeshire Priorities Capital Fund, awarded via CoSMIC, by demonstrating their commitment to the council’s vision of a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire.
Once complete, the ‘river’ of woodland plants, which runs alongside Coldham’s Brook on Barnwell Road, will include stained glass artwork created by the community within the growing greenery, offering a natural space for residents to enjoy. The main structures and wooden sculptural elements are now all in place with planting of more seasonal bulbs to follow.
The project aims to create an attractive green corridor, encouraging active and sustainable travel, particularly for journeys to school. By transforming a main commuter route, the initiative supports safer walking and cycling, while tackling environmental challenges such as localised flooding through improved drainage.
Abbey People plan to use ongoing biodiversity surveys to measure the impact of the project on local nature and biodiversity.
Councillor Alison Whelan said: “It was wonderful to visit the Barnwell Verge: Seeds of Hope project on Barnwell Road in Cambridge and see the creative and beautiful way that Abbey People are working to increase nature in this urban public space.
“I’m delighted that our funding has been able to support this project which so clearly aligns with our ambitions to create a greener, fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire. As time goes by, I hope we’ll see others taking inspiration from this innovative project into their own communities. Well done and thank you to everyone involved.”
Nicky Shepherd, CEO of Abbey People, said: “Abbey People extends its sincere thanks to Cambridgeshire County Council for their support and funding of the Barnwell Seeds of Hope project. This investment has enabled the development of a valuable new community green space and the creation of enhanced wildlife habitats, while also strengthening collaboration between our organisation and the Council.
“We are particularly pleased that the project is inspiring other organisations to pursue similar initiatives for the benefit of communities across the city and is providing meaningful opportunities for residents to engage with their local environment.'
