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Housing association Casade is known as an ambitious organisation in the Waalwijk region, with a strong focus on large-scale demolition, new-build and retrofit projects. To deliver these projects efficiently and in compliance with species protection legislation, Casade operates under a Species Management Plan (SMP) prepared by Arcadis. This plan enables the housing association to carry out works on thousands of residential properties each year in an ecologically responsible manner. A crucial part of this process is ensuring that homes are excluded from protected species in a timely and effective way.
In the autumn of 2020, Unitura faced a major challenge: carrying out exclusion measures for no fewer than 864 ground-level homes across the Waalwijk region. The deadline was uncompromising. All works had to be completed within September and October to ensure that the subsequent construction programme could proceed without delay.
Excluding protected species from homes on this scale requires far more than ecological expertise alone; it is a logistical operation of the highest level. To maintain both quality and efficiency, Unitura deployed four specialised teams. These experienced field operatives were specifically trained to work in accordance with the requirements of the Species Management Plan, ensuring that all exclusion measures were carried out consistently, effectively and in compliance with the agreed ecological protocols.
Given the variation in the housing types and the accessibility of the backyards, we used telehandlers with special attachments. This allowed our teams to install the necessary facilities even in hard-to-reach places. The numbers behind this project are impressive: we assembled over 5 kilometers of gutter brushes(Wb2) and installed thousands of exclusion flaps(EF3). Combined with high-quality filler foam, we ensured that all species present, such as bats and swifts, were excluded from the cavities and roofs in an animal-friendly manner.
On a project of this scale, complete project support is essential. By taking full responsibility for planning, coordination and execution, Unitura enabled Casade to focus on resident communication and the wider preparation of the refurbishment and demolition works. The fact that Unitura could supply all required products directly from its own stock proved crucial in meeting the demanding project deadline.
The process of excluding protected species from homes is standardised at Unitura, while still being tailored to the specific requirements of each project. Every one of the 864 properties was carefully inspected for potential access points. This proactive approach helps prevent protected species from establishing, or re-establishing, themselves within the buildings shortly before works commence, avoiding legal complications and costly project delays.
Despite the pace of delivery, the accuracy of project documentation remained fully assured. All activities were recorded on a property-by-property basis within our own field operations app. Every installed EF3 exclusion flap and every metre of WB2 gutter brush was documented photographically, creating a complete and verifiable project record.
Upon completion of the two-month operation, Casade received a comprehensive digital report covering all completed works. This documentation is invaluable for the ecological project record and serves as evidence to the competent authority that the exclusion measures were carried out in accordance with the relevant licence requirements and the Species Management Plan (SMP). The project demonstrates that large-scale exclusion works and ecological due diligence can go hand in hand.
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