White Lion Walk shopping centre roof will soon be bursting into life

Article by Hugh Coakley , Guildford Dragon News

White Lion Walk shopping centre roof will soon be bursting into life after a collaborative effort by the shopping centre and volunteers to build a new biodiversity garden on the rooftop.

The garden features a variety of plants including climbers such as clematis, passionfruit, honeysuckle, and jasmine to provide a relaxing, natural space for staff. A final planting session is scheduled for spring when vegetables will be added to provide fresh greens for staff lunches.

The project involved the landlord Redevco, managing agents The Momentum Group and volunteers from Zero Carbon Guildford and the Surrey Wildlife Trust.

Claire Yeadon, Asset Manager at Redevco, said: “This project exemplifies our commitment to developing sustainable, environmentally conscious urban areas that align with municipal plans and provide benefits to both the environment and local community.”

Ben McCallan, a ZERO volunteer, highlighted the project’s significance saying: “It’s fantastic to work with organisations like Redevco and The Momentum Group who are putting their money where their mouth is on corporate social responsibility and social value targets. “Projects like this provide key links between habitats fractured by urban areas, tackling Surrey’s above-average nature loss.”

A spokesperson for White Lion Walk said: “The project serves as a model for urban habitat creation, which is expected to play a crucial role in Surrey’s Nature Recovery plans. It demonstrates how the built environment can maintain connectivity between protected landscapes and ancient woodlands, vital for preserving Surrey’s cherished natural areas.

“Future plans include the addition of planters, bug hotels, and bird boxes to further support wildlife and biodiversity.”