Ground investigation works has commenced at Whiston Woods this week to support an application for an Environmental Permit under The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
This work will include drilling machinery at the site and involves digging several trial holes to monitor the ground water conditions at the site over a period of time. The works will take place over seven days.
Prior to any works commencing, appropriate ecological checks were undertaken by qualified ecologists to identify and assess potential risks to protected species and breeding or nesting birds. The outcomes of these checks directly informed how and where the activity is being carried out.
The works are restricted to three discrete drilling locations across the site. These are required to install monitoring points to allow groundwater levels to be monitored. No wider excavation, vegetation clearance or construction activity is taking place.
If any evidence of active nests, dens or other ecological constraints were identified, works would be paused and appropriate mitigation implemented in line with ecological best practice and legal requirements. The site will continue to be monitored throughout the duration of the works.
The site will remain open whilst the works are taking place however some parts of the site will be cordoned off to allow works to take place safely. The development of the cemetery infrastructure is expected to commence later this year.
The site consists of 20.14 hectares and approximately 4.4 hectares (less than a quarter), will be used to extend the current Knowsley Cemetery offer.
The remainder of the Whiston Woods site will be kept for use as community woodland, with 92% of the woodland retained.
The current Fox’s Bank Cemetery (next to Whiston Woods) is nearing full capacity and as a result, additional land has been acquired to provide enough future burial spaces to allow local residents to be able to lay their loved ones to rest in the coming years.