A former opencast mine near Wigan, along the M6 motorway, has been transformed into the Sandyforth Green Gateway : 34 hectares of species-rich grassland, wetlands, walking trails, and public access - all carefully designed to enhance biodiversity and community wellbeing.

Key Themes & Insights

• Infrastructure Meets Ecology. Embedded in a motorway expansion, this project integrates ecological restoration with major transport development - showing that infrastructure need not sacrifice the natural world.
• Habitat-Rich Mosaic Landscape. Over 24 ha of native grasslands, plus seven ponds and wetlands, now support amphibians, birds, insects, and aquatic life - striking a balance between connectivity and ecological diversity.
• Long-Term Community Value. With trails added for public enjoyment and a 30-year maintenance agreement with Wigan Council and National Highways, Sandyforth connects people with nature more meaningfully.
• Collaborative Vision. A partnership led by Costain and National Highways embedded social and ecological gains into engineering - a model of sustainability-led infrastructure planning.

How LettsSafari Provides the Answer

LettsSafari champions initiatives exactly like Sandyforth. Here’s how we’re scaling these successes:

• Eco-Engineered Infrastructure. We work with infrastructure designers and developers to integrate biodiversity action - meanders, ponds, grassland - into project footprints from day one, mirroring Sandyforth’s blueprint.
• Mosaic Habitat Design. LettsSafari’s toolkit includes best practices for creating interconnected habitats - grasslands, wetlands, woodlands -that boost species richness and ecological resilience.
• Long-Term Ecological Stewardship. We guide in establishing governance and funding models for multi-decade maintenance - ensuring that restored landscapes thrive under shared custodianship, as seen at Sandyforth.

Conclusion

Sandyforth Green Gateway is tangible proof that restoration can ride alongside infrastructure, not against it. Environmental value becomes a legacy heritable by future generations. LettsSafari is translating these lessons into action: embedding resilient, biodiverse landscapes within national infrastructure. Our goal: green corridors that outlast construction - and connect people to nature’s rebirth.

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