Frodsham wind farm has been recognised for its commitment to protecting and enhancing wildlife at the Cheshire site.

It is the first construction site in the UK to be awarded the Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark: Design for Construction, which requires companies to implement the highest standard of environmental management systems, bringing awareness of any wildlife on a site into the early stages of a project so that protection and enhancement can be planned.

Peel Energy, joint owner of the site, has worked closely with environmental partners at a local and national level, including the RSPB, local birdwatchers, the borough council, the tenant farmer and Cheshire Wildlife Trust to protect and enhance the wildlife at the Frodsham Wind Farm site.

Standing close to the Mersey Estuary and the Manchester Ship Canal, the site is an important ecological area which provides feeding and breeding areas for wading bird species.

Special conservation measures taken at Frodsham Wind Farm include redesigning site infrastructure during the early stages of construction, in order to protect badger setts and other species on the site.

Other measures have included creating new wetland areas known as ‘wader scrapes’ providing feeding areas for wading birds and a 25 year commitment to managing a large expanse of reed bed to enhance natural habitat for numerous bird species, including the Eurasian Marsh Harrier.

Managing director of Peel Energy Muir Miller said: “Peel Energy is proud to be developing the first construction site in the UK to achieve the biodiversity benchmark award for our work at Frodsham Wind Farm.

“The team has worked exceptionally hard to achieve this accreditation, with measures taken to protect biodiversity at all stages since the very outset of this project. To have this important work recognised at a national level by the Wildlife Trusts is extremely rewarding and sets a standard for future construction projects across the UK.”