Old electricity network poles made redundant by our £3.8 million network upgrade on the edge of Bognor Regis now have a new use – as part of a wildlife habitat.
These recently-completed works close to Bersted Brooks local nature reserve have involved the undergrounding of a significant stretch of the overhead network. This means a number of wooden poles are no longer needed, and these have been turned into sites for bird boxes.
These boxes will provide a habitat for local swift and barn owl populations, helping these species to thrive in the area, and providing safer sites for roosting. Our team – and those of our contract partners OCU and Dalcour Maclaren – worked with a group from Arun District Council to repurpose the old poles for this new role.
Meanwhile, the related electricity wider network upgrade will ensure local communities have a more reliable and resilient power supply,
The project in South Bersted has also undergrounded the overhead network through the Riverside Caravan Centre in Shripney, bringing back more green space to this area.
Councillor Amanda Worne, who’s Chairperson of the Environment Committee at Arun District Council, says:
“We’re proud to support projects that not only improve infrastructure, but also enhance our local environment. Repurposing these poles to support birdlife is a brilliant example of how we can work together to protect and promote biodiversity in Arun. I’m really looking forward to hopefully seeing the boxes being used by birds in the spring.”