This year, Habitat First Group is celebrating the incredible milestone of 25 years of developing outstanding holiday communities; a journey that started with Lower Mill Estate. 

To celebrate such an achievement Diane Wynell-Sutherland, the very first employee at Lower Mill Estate, has created a special one-off ‘In conversation with’ podcast.

Having started her journey with us from the very beginning, Diane shares her fond memories and anecdotes from spending time working closely with Jeremy Paxton, Habitat First Group’s founder. Diane speaks about everything, from Jeremy spotting the space destined to become Lower Mill Estate, to his vision to create an enchanting place where children can explore nature; something that Jeremy’s children, Red, Ruby and Rory continue to carry out to this day.

Listen to Diane’s captivating tale of how this magical place has grown into a space that is nurtured by both nature and people, living harmoniously together to creating lasting family memories.

Click here for the full podcast.

We are delighted to announce that our estate, Birchwood in North Devon, has been announced as a World Biosphere Partner.

North Devon has recently been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; from the highlands of Dartmoor and Exmoor, across the river valleys out to the sea beyond Lundy, the North Devon Biosphere is one of 668 Reserves in 122 countries. It was the first of seven to be designated within the UK and helps secure a better future for the county, by linking people and nature together.

As a business partner, we have pledged to protect the biosphere and support a better understanding of local and global issues at Birchwood.

The Biosphere Business Partner Scheme is an opportunity for businesses to be part of a sustainable business network; dedicated to promoting the preservation of wildlife, habitats and landscape, whilst creating a sustainable economy. As Birchwood is part of Habitat First Group, this runs parallel with our core values and is something that we are all incredibly proud of.

At Birchwood we are committed to:

• Implementing wildlife-enhancing land management practices and gardening techniques, e.g. installing bird nest boxes, bat boxes, wildflower borders and natural heathlands

• Promoting local knowledge and cultural heritage to guests and residents through events and other suitable opportunities

• Reducing energy and water consumption, by producing renewable energy or using alternative technologies

• Increasing recycling and reducing waste across the estate
• Engaging and trading with local businesses that operate in an environmentally and socially responsible manner

To read more about the partnership and our commitment to nature, click here.

Finding your way around Silverlake, Dorset has never been easier, with the new Estate map. Beautifully illustrated and fully interactive, the map highlights key points of interest around the estate and provides further information on each of these.

While navigating the map, you’ll see that we have included some information relating to the history of the site, explaining why our names have such a significant meaning. As you explore the estate, you will see more examples of how we are reflecting the previous history of RAF Warmwell and the local culture, such as through village names and commissioned sculptures.  

Starling Lake is a great example of an area that is rich in wildlife. Being committed to developing and protecting the habitats, we are unable to share the exact locations for all of the species that live onsite, but the map is a great way to learn a bit more about what you will hear and see around the estate, from dawn to dusk.

If you’re feeling adventurous, why not head over to the Activity Hub? Located between Beaumont Village and Wakeling Island, its central location means you can easily explore the whole estate by land or on the water. You’ll find the contact details on the information tile, along with some of the activities they can provide. If you prefer to take things at a slightly gentler pace, you could meander around the winding estate paths, then venture through the vast heathland.

After all that adventure and walking, why not return to the central hub of the estate to relax at the Hurricane Spa and Terrace? Take a gentle swim in the crystal clear, blue waters, enjoy the encompassing views from the terrace and indulge yourself in a luxurious massage.

To take in everything that Silverlake has to offer, use our map to find a new pathway home, or to investigate a new heathland or lake.

We recently had the pleasure of hosting conservationist, Lucy Lapwing at Silverlake, Dorset. This is her story…

I’d only been at Silverlake for around an hour when I heard it. A faint, constant noise – eerie and strange…almost mechanic. One of my favourite sounds in the world and of the night. A nightjar! Weird nocturnal birds, with huge mouths and an uncanny ability to impersonate a dead branch. They make a bizarre noise, known as churring, which they do as night falls. And I could hear one from the garden of the holiday home I was staying in.

It was my first evening staying at the amazing Silverlake resort in Dorset, for a few days. Sat in the dark at my garden table, I couldn’t help but be flabbergasted to hear a nightjar; I normally have to travel to a very specific site to see them!

Most of the headlines we see about nature give us bad news. We hear about species declining and special natural sites being lost, all too frequently. Silverlake’s vision is to actually help nature, providing a holiday home community where people and wildlife can live side-by-side, so nature isn’t pushed out.

The first word that sprung to mind when I arrived at Silverlake was “lush”! Greenery and greenspace seemed to be everywhere. The verges, roundabouts and margins all burst with plant life – in fact any spare patch of land seemed to be alive with wildflowers. This starkly contrasted with the world outside, where manicured lawns and mowed verges are a very common sight.

The morning after my garden nightjar encounter, I awoke early to find a woodlark singing from the rooftop opposite. A woodlark! This is a bird of heathland; a beautiful songster whose numbers dwindled in the past and are still low today. It was the first of many I’d see during my stay. Shortly after 6am (early bird catches the worm), I headed into the woods on a dawn chorus walk to hear birdsong ring through the morning mist. We heard song thrushes, blackcaps, nuthatches, treecreepers, and goldcrests. Wandering past the heath, the woodlark was singing away again!

The night before, I’d set my moth trap and was excited to see what I’d caught. Inside sat two of the chunkiest moths I’d ever seen. I’d caught myself two ENOURMOUS privet hawkmoths – with a wingspan more than 10cm, they’re the UK’s biggest moth! Grey wings, with pink-and-black stripes down the body, they’re a sight to behold. They absolutely dwarfed the green and pink elephant hawkmoth, normally the big shot of any moth trap, which sat alongside them.

Silverlake has very limited artificial light after dark; it helps wildlife like bats and allows you to really appreciate the starry night sky – it also means moths, many of which pollinate flowers by night, aren’t needlessly drawn to the lights!

The next day, I joined Dr Phoebe Carter, Silverlake’s Chief Ecologist, for a tour around the Estate to look at Silverlake from an ecological perspective. Around the established properties we saw how nature had been woven into development; buzzing banks, verges full of flowers and insect life bordered every property. Sustainable drainage channels were lined with vegetation and were thrumming with zooming dragonflies. Many of the properties and communal buildings were home to bat boxes, nest boxes and bee bricks; some even had living roofs!

 It was clear to see how the disused quarry was being transformed; sand embankments now housed hundreds of sand martins and evidence of otters could be seen around new water ways. I learned about plans for the extra quarry space; an area for leisure where people could walk their dogs, and a wider area that would be a brand-new nature reserve.

Walking further around the Estate, even more humming, thrumming life became apparent; I saw common lizards, grass snakes and my first ever slow worm! I watched endless dragonflies and damselflies hunting around the water; golden ringed, emperors and even a keeled skimmer.

Out of many of the verges sprung orchids – including the gorgeous and hilarious-looking bee orchid. This is a flower that lives in disguise; it evolved to look and even smell like the female of a type of bee found in Europe. This imitation is so convincing that the male bees are tricked into mating with the flower; this helping with pollination. Sadly, we don’t have the right bee in the UK, so the orchids have to pollinate themselves. It’s always such a treat to see one!

For my final evening, I followed Dr. Phoebe into the dark… it was time to find those nightjars. On the heath, only a couple of hundred metres from my digs, we saw them! Eerie silhouettes against the night sky, clapping their wings and churring away relentlessly. It was magical.

Staying at Silverlake was a wonderful experience – it was a lovely place to holiday and I’d recommend it to everyone! The accommodation was beautiful, the facilities brilliant and the staff were welcoming and lovely.

There was something else that made it truly special. At a time when nature is so often on the back foot, it was so refreshing to see a place that is actively encouraging it. For me, the uniqueness of a place like Silverlake is its wildlife! A place where nature isn’t sanitised or excluded, but it is celebrated.

Following a year of lockdowns, we’re all aware of how important quality greenspace is for us. The innovation of a place like Silverlake shows that this could be possible for the places we live. Perhaps future towns could follow the lead of Habitat First Group? Buzzing verges, towering trees, clean, fish-filled rivers and space to roam for kids and families. My passion is to find the weird, wonderful and just plain bizarre elements of our wildlife to communicate this to wider audiences.

Nature is in trouble and we need as many people as possible to speak up to help to reverse the biodiversity crisis. I often feel despondent about nature, but the kind of work carried out by Habitat First Group shows we can do things differently. Imagine the future if we did just that and used our imaginations!

At Habitat First Group, we’re passionate about sustainability and ethical living. Our on-site restaurant and shop, Ballihoo, is no exception. To support our quest to reduce food miles, Bob, our Handyman, and our dedicated team of groundskeepers, have worked hard over the last 12 months to develop our very own onsite allotment.

With a field-to-fork ethos, our budding allotment is already growing selected fresh produce, which we hope, in time, will supply both the Ballihoo restaurant and zero-waste shop. Bob has created natural pest controls, free from chemicals, using beer from the drip trays in Ballihoo – an ingenious solution to being a zero-waste environment.

Catching up with Bob, we were able to explore the grounds and talk about the future of the allotment. Only in its infancy, and currently cultivating over 18 species of fruits and vegetables, it has already doubled in size, with further plans for expansion.

Head Chef, Paul Budd, who works closely with Bob, is keen to increase the offering, requesting unusual varieties of vegetables, herbs, and fruits, including red sprouts, bronzed fennel and salsa fe.

The crop is already making good progress and we’ve been able to share some produce through our specials and private dining menus. Rhubarb, spinach, radishes and purple-sprouting broccoli have already featured in selected dishes.

The allotment is a haven for food lovers and gardeners alike and although not open to our residents and guests, we wanted to share the journey we are taking to supply our own produce to you.

Bob’s Patch

What’s in the plot? 

Broad beans, garden peas, red sprouts, rhubarb, radish, spinach, purple-sprouting broccoli, asparagus, kale, giant pumpkins, garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, raspberries, gooseberries, whiteberries, Jerusalem artichokes and elderflower.

Despite very tricky times in the past 12 months, we have continued to work hard to deliver the same attention to detail and personalised service our guests are used to. 

With life slowly returning to some normality, and with the very welcome return of guests on our estates, we’re bringing out regular updates from our estates, via our HFGTV. We’ve recorded new videos, giving snippets of content surrounding the family business, lifestyle, seasonal updates, ecology and of course award-winning, architectural property designs. 

In the first of our new videos, Ruby Haines, Director of Sustainability and one of our co-owners, explains here how nature and ecology are at the beating heart of everything we do across the company.⁠⁠

The surge in staycations during the pandemic has created increased demand in families wanting to invest in a holiday homes surrounded by nature. Here co-owner, Rory Paxton, talks about the huge interest we’ve seen in plots with planning permission for lakeside homes. He discusses how we’ve adapted our house designs to meet needs of families who want to spend more quality time together. 

Speaking from our Silverlake estate, Habitat Escapes manager, Henry Rouse, introduces the holiday rental arm of the company and talks about the rise in demand for UK staycations. He discusses the trends we’ve seen over the last year, and the new facilities that guests can enjoy on our estates here.

If you’re aching for something to look forward to at the moment and have had to cancel an important celebration in recent months, you may be in luck. This autumn, we are giving you the opportunity to celebrate your missed milestone in style. Whether you have missed your 40^th, your anniversary or a reunion, we want to hear all about it.

We are offering one lucky winner the chance to host the ultimate celebration for 3 nights, with up to 12 guests. Choose to relax on a stunning coastal escape at Silverlake, or a cosy retreat in the Cotswolds at Lower Mill Estate.

This beautiful break will be accompanied by the following incredible package:

LAKESIDE SUNDOWNER – to start the celebrations, you and your guests can enjoy a sundowner hour with a selection of drinks and nibbles, taking in the sunset at a stunning lakeside location.

AFTERNOON PICNIC – explore the estate with a nature-filled walk or cycle around and come back to enjoy a picnic lunch ready and waiting for you to return.

COCKTAIL NIGHT – raise a glass and enjoy pre-dinner drinks with a bespoke cocktail or mocktail kit including spirits, mixers, recipes, and glassware, on a night of your choice.

PRIVATE DINING – enjoy one of our bespoke private dining experiences. Using seasonally sourced, local produce you can sit back and relax, while our Chefs create a menu perfect for your celebration.

ACTIVITIES – Activity Hub will arrange a special tuition session for the group.

How to Enter:

Follow @habitat_escapes, @silverlakedorset and @lowermillestate on Instagram and tell us in less than 100 words about your missed occasion.

Tag a fellow Instagram user who you want to join you for your stay – the more people you tag, the more times you enter!

Share the @habitat_escapes competition post as an Instagram story on your account

Competition entries close at 12:00 on 1st August 2021. All entries will be reviewed, and the winner will be chosen at random. Winner will be contacted and announced on social media once they have accepted.

Good Luck! 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. The prize is as set out in the prize draw information, in accordance with the terms and conditions below. No cash alternative will be made available.
2. The Promoter is Habitat Escapes, part of Habitat First Group Ltd.
3. The prize draw is open to entries aged 18 or over, who are resident in mainland England, Scotland or Wales only.
4. Employees of the Promoter and its associated or group companies and their immediate families and anyone else professionally connected with the prize draw are excluded from the prize draw.
5. The winner of the prize will be the first eligible entrant drawn at random after the prize draw has closed.
6. The winner will be contacted by the Promoter using the details provided at the time of entry.
7. The Promoter will carry out a pre-screening check to determine whether the winner is eligible for the prize. The Promoter reserves the right to choose another winner should the original winner not be eligible (at the Promoter’s sole discretion).
8. Entry details are as set out in the prize draw information. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for entries that are delayed, misdirected or incomplete or cannot be delivered or entered for any technical or other reason. Proof of transmission is not proof of receipt by the Promoter.
9. The winner will be notified by e-mail within 7 days of the draw date.
10. No costs or expenses incurred by you in entering the prize draw will be reimbursed by the Promoter.
11. By entering the prize draw, you will be deemed to have accepted and be bound by these terms and conditions and by any other requirements set out in the prize draw information or promotional material.
12. The Promoter reserves the right to hold, void, cancel, suspend, or amend the promotion where it becomes necessary to do so. The Promoter’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
13. Winners may be required to participate in publicity related to the prize draw which may include the publication of their name and photograph in any media. The winner agrees to share photos and testimonials with Habitat Escapes for use across their marketing channels.
14. Personal data supplied during this promotion may be passed on to third party suppliers and service providers but only insofar as required for fulfilment, delivery and arrangement of the prize draw and the prizes.
15. The prize draw will be governed by English law and entrants to the prize draw submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
16. The prize will be offered across an available date in September or October 2021 at Lower Mill Estate or Silverlake, Dorset, through Habitat Escapes. These dates may be subject to change following updated Government guidance.

Red Paxton talks as part of an exclusive panel with TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp, Interior Designer Emma Sims-Hilditch and Tom Bill Head of UK Residential Research Knight Frank, to discuss the UK property market’s reaction to the global pandemic and how we are looking to invest in a more permanent staycation option.

Watch the full discussion here.

We’ve had a wonderful array of press coverage recently, from reviews of our stunning holiday homes at Lower Mill Estate in The Cotswolds and Silverlake in Dorset to features about our founders and details of our community partnerships.

Read more about what we’ve been up to here.

After a particularly tricky year, it’s fair to say that the pandemic has made people rethink many aspects of their lives. Owning a holiday home now presents an opportunity for many to enhance their lifestyle, making 2021 the perfect time for us to introduce a new business to our group, Habitat Resales.  

Habitat Resales offers ready-made holiday homes at Silverlake, Dorset and Lower Mill Estate in The Cotswolds, so people can be enjoying the lifestyle that the estates have to offer right away. We’re very happy to say that we’ve already completed on our first resale at Silverlake, Beaumont Village 28!  

Properties on the market at the moment include Wakeling Island 21, a pristine newly-finished four-bedroom Summer House with its own private jetty and canoe store, and a two-bedroom traditional Purbeck stone cottage with views across to Beaumont Lake, one of Silverlake’s largest water bodies.

If you’d love to own a holiday home that is ready for immediate occupation, find out more about our Silverlake resales here and our Lower Mill Estate resales here.

As part of our 25^th anniversary celebrations, our Silverlake Dorset estate has launched a competition with our neighbour, Sculpture by the Lakes, to find an artist who can create a new sculpture for our estate.

We will be looking for a piece that will recognise our estate’s heritage and our outstanding reputation for ecology.

For more information, visit the Silverlake news page.

If you’re currently back in the conundrum of juggling work and home-schooling, why not challenge the kids to become an Eco Explorer?

To do this activity, have a look at our wildlife video page and download a little comprehension activity to answer some questions about some of the creatures that you’ve seen.

Once your children have finished, you can check your answers here and download a certificate to print and complete for your very own Eco Explorer.

Happy fact finding!

Twenty-five years ago, we set about transforming Lower Mill Estate into something never seen before. A lakeside holiday home community where families could enjoy the beauty of the Cotswold countryside, within the safety of a private estate.

Designed for maximum ease, the estate set about creating a nature trail, a place to book watersports and bikes, a spa, eco-pool, playgrounds, sports facilities, a restaurant and plastic-free shop. 

Fast forward twenty-five years and we have opened Silverlake in Dorset with just over 60 holiday homes built (at the time of writing) and work about to start on a fourth village. Meanwhile, over in North Devon, the latest country estate, Birchwood, has been beautifully landscaped in preparation for a brand-new concept. Whilst at our original estate, Lower Mill Estate, there are only 10% of the freehold plots remaining.

Add to this a family-run holiday lettings business, Habitat Escapes, a slew of awards, an objective to become carbon neutral by 2030 and lots of exciting projects in the pipeline and it’s clear what has been done with the time!

Over the coming months, restrictions permitting, we will be celebrating our milestone year with some exciting new initiatives. Keep an eye on this page for more information.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Habitat First Group, so having already installed electric vehicle charging points on our estates and investing in electric buggies for use by our housekeeping team, we felt it was time to add a pair of Jaguar I-PACE cars to our electrically powered fleet.

The Jaguar I-PACE SUV is one of the very best electric cars on sale. Thanks to its highly innovative technologies, zero emissions and a wealth of space through clever architecture, it is the perfect vehicle for our Habitat Zero commitment to deliver an environmentally responsible, carbon neutral business by 2030. 

Instant torque and four-wheel drive traction gives I-PACE the acceleration of a sports car, while also being surprisingly capable off road. These stunningly, streamlined cars will be used to provide sales tours and are the perfect vehicle to discover every corner of Silverlake and Lower Mill Estate.

We’ve recently welcomed a new fleet of electric buggies to Silverlake. These nifty vehicles will be used by our Housekeeping and Maintenance teams to transport necessities around the estate, leaving us safe in the knowledge that they will have no impact on our carbon footprint.                                                                       

The new buggies form part of Habitat Zero, our commitment to be an environmentally-responsible, carbon neutral business by 2030.

Keep your eyes peeled in 2021 for another very special electric vehicle that will be joining us…

After 15 years of waiting, an Osprey has arrived at Lower Mill Estate and has been putting on some spectacular displays as it fishes in Somerford Lagoon in the heart of the development. Ospreys are awe-inspiring birds of prey. They are a migratory species, with British ospreys spending the breeding season (March-September) in the UK, then migrating to Africa for the winter. It is during the spring and autumn, as they travel to and from Africa, that some of these birds pass over the Cotswold Water Park. This is the first year that one has stayed at Lower Mill for any length of time and this is absolutely incredible.   

The main requirement for these birds is a good supply of medium-sized fish, which can be caught from the surface of the water, which we have provided through careful management of our lake environments and with our approach to building with nature. To encourage Ospreys to stay we have created two artificial nesting sites at Lower Mill. As Ospreys like to build nests at the top of prominent trees, we have created these nesting sites as high as possible.  

Ospreys were driven to extinction in most of the UK in the late 19^th Century. A small number managed to hang on in Scotland but became officially extinct in 1916. In 1954, Ospreys from Scandinavia returned and bred in Scotland and now thanks to being given the highest level of legal protection in the UK, and thanks to a project to provide artificial nesting platforms, Osprey numbers began to increase in the 1980s.

To have Osprey stay a while at Lower Mill is testament to how we put nature at the heart of development. What an incredible visitor! With Osprey now residing at Lower Mill before they return to Africa, we can only hope they will return and start to breed on site in the coming years. Keep everything crossed!

(Second image courtesy of Helen Llewelyn).

Habitat First Group is committed to creating spaces where wildlife thrives. One species doing really well on all of our sites is the otter. This wonderful mammal suffered a catastrophic decline in numbers during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The cause was probably the combined effects of pollution and habitat destruction, particularly the drainage of wet areas. Thankfully these wonderful mammals are now doing better and they have been recorded once again in every county in England.  

At Lower Mill Estate, otters are often spotted in our lakes and along our waterways. Families of otter have been spotted in Spinney Lake and Howells Mere during the daytime and signs of otter are found everywhere – even within a few feet of some of our properties. At Silverlake, otters have already started moving through our waterbodies, even those that haven’t been completed yet! We’ve recorded otters on trail cameras in Wakeling Island and there are already signs of them in the new waterways around Overton Island. The River Venn at Birchwood is also home to otters and as we create new habitats on the site, we hope these otters will find new places to visit and explore. 

Making space for nature means thinking about nature’s needs. Being mostly nocturnal, otters require dark spaces to travel through and to feed. As well as creating well-vegetated, healthy waterways for otters to move through, we keep artificial lighting low on our sites. This means light spilling onto our waterways is minimised, maximising our chances of otters using the development. Building for nature brings great benefits. Where else can you live foot to paw with otters?!

A Hero’s Welcome at Lower Mill Estate

“Our family was truly humbled by the dedication, courage and resilience shown by our amazing NHS workers during this pandemic. Moved by their selflessness, we decided that the Habitat First Foundation needed to do something to show our deep gratitude to those on the frontline.

We hope that the gift of time away from it all, in such beautiful surroundings, will allow these incredible people to relax and enjoy some respite and peace. We cannot wait to welcome your Habitat Heroes, and their loved ones, to Lower Mill Estate. To have the chance to spoil them, and their loved ones, is a privilege”

Red, Ruby and Rory Paxton, Owners of Habitat First Group

We may no longer congregate on the streets for the weekly #clapforcarers, but for Habitat First Foundation, the sense of community has not diminished. In April we invited colleagues, family and friends to nominate a dedicated frontline NHS worker to win a break in a stunning modern apartment at Lower Mill Estate, Habitat First Group’s inaugural nature reserve.  

We were truly humbled by the nominations of those that have gone above and beyond their call of duty during this pandemic, and those who have shown exceptional bravery or kindness.  Some have had to move out of their own homes, separating themselves from vulnerable friends and family, so that they can continue to save lives each day, while others have missed holidays and the opportunity for a well-earned break.  The toll on their physical and mental health has been immense. 

Our team is now set to roll out the red carpet for your 50 Habitat Heroes. A total of 300 guests are set to enjoy 200 night-stays, giving these amazing individuals the chance to put their feet up, relax and reconnect with family and friends. 

All of our winners can look forward to some well-deserved downtime at our unique natural retreat, surrounded by freshwater lakes, rivers and acres of untouched woodland. Our team looks forward to spoiling them with menus of seasonal produce in our Ballihoo restaurant, and for the more adventurous, we will be on hand to assist with any of the many activities available.  

In their own words…

We asked our winners if we could share their pandemic stories, so in their own words, here are your habitat heroes. 

“I’ve been nursing now for almost 20 years in Intensive Care. When Covid hit, our services were stretched to the limit, as the sickest patients were admitted and placed on ventilators and other lifesaving equipment. It was one of the hardest challenges of my career. Even for the most hardened Intensive Care nurse, walking into that Covid Unit and seeing all the patients squeezed in, suffering, recovering or dying was overwhelming. I would start my shift with a pause just to take it all in, then take a deep breath before leading my team through the shift in such difficult circumstances. I‘ve never in my life felt more overwhelmed or cried so much at work. We nursed our patients for 12-hour shifts day and night in heavy layers of suffocating PPE. Every one of us has struggled with the aftermath of this first surge, and now plans are in place for Surge-2, though I pray this does not happen. I want you to know that you have made one nurse very happy by giving away these free holidays to NHS staff who have had a very tough this year. I will savour every moment in our luxurious apartment at the Cotswolds with my precious young family.”

Amanda Estherby

“I am a therapist but was re-deployed to A&E and only had 2 days off during the pandemic.  Working has helped me to deal with the trauma of my daughter having cancer, though I feel totally wiped out and exhausted. Being able to go away with her and my family, somewhere so beautiful, is so needed. It’s not just a holiday, it’s making up for lost time. We fell in love with Lower Mill Estate as we holidayed there in 2015 when my daughter was diagnosed, and she was too ill to fly. It has a lot of very special memories for us.” 

Abbie Stanwix

“I am a consultant anaesthetist and became very ill with Covid in March. I returned to work as part of an emergency response team. We were responsible for intubating and ventilating Covid patients at the peak of the pandemic, and latterly dealing with trauma related mental health and domestic violence. The whole team worked extremely hard, trying to stay ahead of the virus, while overcoming our own fears. I’m thrilled to win this break, it’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Dr Annie Hunningher

“I’ve nursed on a Trauma Ward for 22 years. It’s always hard work but during the pandemic I’ve seen things and worked in conditions I never thought I possible. We were moved from ward to ward on a daily basis, all full of very ill COVID patients. Working in PPE, with the fans and air con switched off, was unbearable. I also got COVID and have never felt so unwell in all my life. Months later I can still feel the effects. Winning this break means I can spend quality time with my loved ones and I’m very grateful.”  

Malgorzata Stempkowski

“I’m an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner and also a single parent. At the start of the pandemic we made the tough decision that my daughter would live with my mum for 10 weeks. It was so hard not being able to hug or kiss her, but I had to keep her safe. My colleagues were frightened and anxious of what was to come, but in my eyes, they were all heroes. I’m extremely touched to be nominated and cannot wait for our family time together in the Cotswolds.”

Alexandra Gatehouse

“My husband and I lead a Community Respiratory Service, treating highly vulnerable patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Early on my husband contracted COVID-19 and was very ill and bedbound. It was so stressful quarantining with 2 young children, and still leading the team at the forefront of the pandemic. Our battle with the pandemic will be ongoing, but we’ll pick up the pieces of the NHS and put it back together again.  We want to say a massive ‘thank you’- we are so grateful to have this holiday to look forward to.”  

Anna McCall

“I’m an apprentice within the NHS maternity service. It’s been hard working all day in hot, uncomfortable PPE and then facing outside obstacles like huge supermarket queues to find the shelves empty. I suffer from anxiety and depression which has been so much worse throughout this time and have had to live at friend’s houses as my stepfather is vulnerable. My pay is so low I haven’t been on holiday for 3 years. To have something positive like this to look forward to makes it all so worthwhile.” 

Alexandra Smith

Feeling inspired? 

We know that everyone, in their own way, will want to give something back to those people working at the forefront of the fight to control this virus. 

If you’re inspired by their stories and would like to give a little something back, now is your chance.   We’ve selected a handful of items, you can donate to our winners, which they’ll receive during their stay, making their time away that little bit more special. 

Click here to donate www.thingstogetme.com/habitatheroes

Find out more …

For more information on Lower Mill Estate visitwww.habitatfirstgroup.com

Guests wanting to stay at one of our Estates in the Cotswolds, Dorset or Devon should visit www.habitatescapes.com

To see more about the Habitat Heroes campaign, follow #habitatheroes on social media or for more information about our foundation visit www.habitatfirstfoundation.com

We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of the brand-new Habitat First Foundation website. 

The Habitat First Foundation is Habitat First Group’s official charity and has so far raised £23,205 towards building dedicated holiday homes to provide complimentary accommodation for children with serious illness or disability to enjoy a much-needed holiday, along with their loved ones. 

In addition to our main cause, we support other charities throughout the year. This includes donating to the charity, Dreamflight, and our recent #HabitatHeroes campaign. Habitat Heroes is providing 50 NHS workers and their families with all expenses paid accommodation at Lower Mill Estate, with a total value of over £34,000.

Head on over to the Habitat First Foundation website to read our story.

We are delighted to announce that two of our countryside estates, Silverlake, Dorset and Lower Mill Estate have been short-listed from a list of over 200 entries for a Landscape Institute Award 2020.

Among the landscape industry’s highest accolades, the Landscape Institute Awards celebrate the value of landscape in connecting people, place and nature. 

Both estates have been recognised within the brand-new Building with Nature category that celebrates residential and commercial schemes which have secured Building with Nature Accreditation and have been signed-off post-construction as completed development phases.

Entrants to this category can showcase how they have secured high-quality green infrastructure features at every stage of development: from planning, design, and implementation, through to management, maintenance and monitoring. 

Our Chief Ecologist, Dr Phoebe Carter, has recently been interviewed by Radio 4 as part of the work she undertakes with Building with Nature on the impact of the Government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ mandate.

Phoebe discusses the importance of having an upfront plan when it comes to ecology, ‘working out what you have on site and how to protect it.’ Phoebe goes on to explain how Habitat First Group always prioritises nature – prior to and during the building process – and addresses some of the many species we protect and house on our country estates.

The full show is available here and Phoebe is introduced at Lower Mill Estate at about nineteen and a half minutes into the programme.

Listen now.

Habitat First Group has featured in an article by The Daily Telegraph that looks at how families are purchasing second homes as protective bubbles.

One of our owners, Red Paxton, explains that we are seeing an increasing number of families seeking double plots in order to incorporate their own protected facilities, including swimming pools, cinemas and games rooms.

Read the full article here. 

We are super pleased that our eco-friendly Falcon House at Birchwood, North Devon has been featured as House of the Month in the latest Country and Town House publication.

Designed by contemporary architects Koto, the Falcon House is a beautifully crafted three-bedroom property set over two floors.

With various options for external wooden cladding and a slate roof, the sustainable building sits in harmony with the surrounding landscape.

Click to read the full article

Red Paxton, Co-Founder of Habitat First Group recently spoke with Jemma Lester, MD of Luxury Marketing House. They discussed the story of Habitat First Group, it’s working with nature ethos and some of the many other exciting projects that are in the pipeline.

You can hear the full conversation by clicking here: Listen to the podcast

Silverlake is home to a huge range of wonderful insects thanks to the diversity of habitats it hosts. Of these insects, moths are often overlooked as many only fly at night and even the day-flying moths aren’t always easy to spot. 

There are actually over 2,500 species of moth in the UK and they are a major part of our biodiversity, playing vital roles in the ecosystem. Moths are a food source for numerous other species such as bats and birds and are also vital pollinators. In the last 60 years, moth populations in southern Britain have declined by a staggering 40%!

At Silverlake we value our moths and their populations are regularly monitored as part of our ongoing wildlife auditing. In 2019, surveys by renowned moth experts Phil Sterling and Mark Parsons recorded 297 species at Silverlake. Of those species recorded, there was 1 Red Data Book species called the Dingy Mocha, 14 Nationally Scarce species and 65 species considered to be Local on a national scale.

Phil Sterling said: “A good range of species were recorded in just 7 visits, with a number of highlights. It is likely there are many more species present at Silverlake, and yet more that will colonise as the number of plant species increases, the existing habitats mature on site, and new niches are formed.”

By looking after our habitats at Silverlake carefully, we hope to record even greater numbers of these wonderfully diverse moths in the next few years.

Habitat First Group have recently been getting things ready to welcome Sand martins back from Africa. 

The Sand martin (Riparia riparia) is a tiny earth-brown and white bird that arrives from Africa as early as mid-March. Following severe droughts in Africa in the late ’60s and again in the early ’80s, the Sand martin population declined to just 1/10^th of its original size. Despite their populations recovering, it is important that we take steps to boost the numbers of these amazing little birds. 

Sand martins are common visitors to sand quarries where they use their tiny beaks and feet to excavate tunnels and nesting chambers deep in the sand faces. In its former days as Warmwell Quarry, Silverlake was host to breeding Sand martins every year. When the quarrying stopped and Habitat First Group took over the old quarry they retained the last sand face that the Sand martins had used and integrated it into the development. Year on year the Sand martins have come back but, with over 240 nesting pairs each year, the sand face has begun to erode. To make sure there is room for the birds to nest after their long flight from Africa we have now installed artificial nesting banks for them. These structures are created with pipes leading to nesting chambers and each of these is packed full of sand for the birds to excavate. In time we hope these will be used and that we will be able to ring any young birds to help with monitoring studies.

Over at Lower Mill Estate, we have also put up these artificial nesting sites to attract the Sand martins that arrive in the Cotswold Water Park every year. With quarrying reducing in the Cotswold Water Park there are fewer nesting sites for the Sand martins and we want to make sure there will always be places for these fabulous little birds to nest. 

Lower Mill Estate is also home to what is thought to be the UK’s biggest population of House martins thanks to conservation efforts that have been going on for over 15 years. Swifts are also getting a helping hand with swift nesting towers at both Silverlake and Lower Mill Estate and a swift brick being installed in every new house we build at any of our sites. 

We will keep you updated on how all of our African visitors are doing. 

Wildflowers bloom with brilliance at Lower Mill Estate from late spring to autumn. They don’t just bring us great joy, but are also a lifeline for our bees, butterflies, pollinating bugs and birds.

Swill Meadow on the wider estate is a wonderful example of a native wildflower meadow that we have been managing carefully for the last 15 years to help conserve our native wildflowers and all the invertebrates and other wildlife that rely on them. Orchids, Lady’s bedstraw, Knapweed and Yellow rattle are in abundance. Clouds of blue damselflies take flight as you walk through this picturesque meadow; butterflies flutter from wildflower to wildflower and the crickets and grasshoppers seem to play you a symphony. By cutting the meadow at the right time of year we ensure our wildflowers are preserved, something that is essential, as the UK has lost over 97% of its wildflower meadows since World War II.

In other areas of the Estate, we have tried to address the catastrophic decline of the UK’s insect populations, by creating wildflower areas where we can. In places where we know there is likely to be good seed stock of wildflowers in the soil, we have relaxed our mowing regimes to allow these wildflowers to emerge and spread. By cutting these areas once or twice a year and removing the clippings we help create a less nutrient-rich soil which is great for wildflowers.  In other areas of the Estate, we have started from scratch and lifted and removed the turf and sown the areas with native wildflower seeds. 

All of these approaches have resulted in vast increases in wildflowers and a great richness of biodiversity across the Estate. Insects play a vital role in all our lives and by boosting the wildflowers they need and by building with nature, we are giving them a helping hand. 

 “If we and the rest of the back-boned animals were to disappear overnight, the rest of the world would get on pretty well. But if the invertebrates were to disappear, the world’s ecosystems would collapse.” Sir David Attenborough.

We know how unsettling the past few weeks have been for families and understand that the prospect of weeks at home trying to educate and entertain the kids is seriously daunting.

To help the days to go a little quicker and to boost the dose of Vitamin D, we have created a 30 day plan of activities that can be done in the great outdoors.

From making a floral perfume to string laser tag, these activities have been designed to reduce stress for kids, enabling them to focus on something fun and natural. These activities have been created for the back garden, should be possible with existing resources and are adaptable for different ages.

We would love to see how you get on. Please post any images of your families undertaking the challenge with #30daysofthegreatoutdoors if you are happy for us to share some of the results.

Now that we’ve formally left the EU, we are in a period of transition, but at the moment there are no planned policy changes with regards to wildlife legislation.

This means business as usual for us at Habitat First Group with us continuing to protect and conserve wildlife on our sites just like before.

Each of our country estates has its own distinct set of planning conditions that cover nature conservation. Our commitment to long-term nature conservation management is one of the reasons that we were granted planning permission to develop an area of open countryside.

These conditions include the production of a Landscape & Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) for each estate and they are agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The plan includes all aspects of how we will manage the habitats and species on site. Any management issues relating to SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) are also approved by Natural England. The LEMP covers the entirety of each site from the villages to the wider Estate and undeveloped areas. The plan will remain in place for the lifetime of the planning permission.

Similarly, planning conditions state that we must undertake annual wildlife auditing to show the results of our nature conservation. This auditing also helps us to assess our aspirations for future biodiversity of the site, in particular that we are having no negative impact on the wildlife and habitats on our sites. Our audits have to be agreed in writing by the relevant councils and the audits are undertaken by independent surveyors to maintain transparency over the data. The results of this monitoring are used by the Local Planning Authority to measure the ecological success of the development and are a determining factor in the granting of further permissions.

Any restrictions on the timings of when we can run activities on site, from water sports to hedge cutting are all set by current wildlife legislation, the local authorities and Natural England and incorporated into the LEMP.

Our commitment is to meet these nature conservation conditions and maintain and enhance our wildlife at all stages of development. Purchasers of holiday homes at our estates are also tied into these conservation commitments through the land transaction and the service charge management. 

We’re delighted to announce a new partnership with professional big wave surfer, Andrew Cotton. As a fellow outdoor enthusiast and lover of all things North Devon, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to work with him.

Having grown up in the South West and having surfed all of his adult life, Andrew understands the draw to raise his family near the coast more than most.

Andrew shared a few words with us on why he decided to partner Birchwood, North Devon:

‘Growing up in and living in North Devon has really influenced my surfing career and lifestyle choices. That’s why having the opportunity to work with Birchwood, who aim to deliver an eco-friendly and sustainable holiday community so others can appreciate the outdoors and local environment, was the perfect partnership for me’. 

Keep your eyes peeled for some exciting new announcements, including the opportunity to design a surfboard with Andrew and to have some professional surfing lessons from one of the world’s most respected big wave surfers.

Andrew is currently living the wild life out in Nazare, Portugal, surfing 70 foot waves. We wish him all the best for his adventures and look forward to seeing him when he gets back.

Our newest estate, Birchwood, North Devon has launched!

Located in a UNESCO Biosphere, Birchwood will offer world-class nature conservation alongside beautifully designed sustainable holiday accommodation in one of the most scenic areas of North Devon.

The first area of Birchwood, The Stockyard, will provide 17 breath-taking homes, set within leafy green trees, rolling hills and shallow streams.

On site facilities will include wood-fired hot tubs, giant treehouses and a calisthenics gym and adventure also frames the estate in the form of North Devon’s surfing beaches, moors and creeks.

To find out more about this magical country estate, watch the video or book a tour here.

We are delighted to announce a new Habitat First Group company, Habitat Zero.

For the past two decades we have strived to have a positive impact on nature, the community and the well-being of the families who invest in our natural retreats. For the next decade we will be taking our efforts a step further by working towards Habitat Zero; our commitment to deliver an environmentally responsible, carbon neutral business by 2030.

Our mission will see us saying goodbye to single use plastics across our offices and our estates, introducing electric vehicles across our estates, expanding EV charging points for residents and introducing a Habitat First Group electric mini bus and taxi service.

As a business with ecology at its heart, this endeavour means a lot to us and we look forward to updating you on our progress over the next decade. To track our progress, you can follow us on Instagram.

While some people are shivering, we look forward to Autumn at Habitat First Group, as our country estates come into their own. Along with thousands of trees changing colour, this is a great time to spot some of our wildlife and birds in their natural habitats.

At Silverlake [www.silverlakedorset.com], it’s hard to mis3s the incredible starling murmuration over Starling Lake and Beaumont Lake. The skies will be full of noise while they do this and then as they drop from the sky to roost in the reedbeds, everything goes quiet again.

On the ground our dormice will be active until November, before finding a cosy spot to hibernate for around six months. As we create more wetland areas, we are starting to see a range of wintering waterbirds passing through or stopping for Winter. It’s also worth looking for passage migrants. 

Silverlake’s surrounding areas are also pretty special in the Autumn. The National Trust owned Brownsea Island is a fantastic place for birdwatchers. The largest single Avocet flock in Britain was recorded here and in Autumn there are regularly up to 2,500 Black-tailed Godwits as well as Curlew, Grey Plover, Dunlin and Oystercatcher.

Over at Lower Mill Estate [www.lowermillestate.com], our wintering waterbirds begin to arrive to spend the Winter feeding with us. Species to look for include Tufted duck, Coot, Wigeon, Red-crested pochard, Goldeneye and Gadwall. Somerford Lagoon also attracts gulls in their thousands, including Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull and Black-headed Gull. Look out too for Linnets and Reed Buntings roosting around the lake edges. At dawn and dusk, Autumn is a wonderful time to spot our resident otters and it is definitely worth a trip to Flagham Fen at this time of year to look out for our beavers.

If you spot any of our Autumn wildlife, we would love to see your images through our social media channels.

Read the full article HERE

The 2019 EUGIC conference showcased the best of pan European learning focused on creating resilient, healthier cities through nature-based solutions and water sensitive urban design.

Green Blue Urban sang the praises of Dr Phoebe Carter, Habitat First Group’s chief ecologist, for her work incorporating biodiversity and city habitat space for the wellbeing of humans and animals alike.

Read the full article HERE

Wilmore Iles Architects have written an excellent article about the benefits of Biophilic Design and its positive impact on mental and physical well-being as well as environmental, economic and social prosperity, using images of Habitat First Group developments as prime examples.

As many of you will know, we have motion activated nature cams dotted around the nature reserve to keep track of our resident wildlife and particularly the effectiveness of our ecology management plan. Every now and then, these cameras capture an extraordinary moment of natural beauty that shows us exactly why we all love our little corner of the Cotswolds; this footage was just far too good to keep to ourselves…

Watch the full video HERE

I hope you all agree this is pretty remarkable and highlights the success of our ongoing ecology plan, overseen by Dr Phoebe Carter and implemented by our brilliant Grounds Team.

Habitat First Group is a family-run development company founded on the principle of creating holiday home communities that share a deep love for Mother Nature.

Combining excellence in architecture, interior design, state-of-the-art facilities, security and service, Habitat First Group creates an oasis of space where families can holiday comfortably and responsibly, while safely exploring the great outdoors.

After successfully launching Lower Mill Estate in the Cotswolds 19 years ago, the company has gone from strength to strength and has a number of other exciting projects in the pipeline.

‘HABITAT FIRST IS A DEVELOPMENT COMPANY FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF CREATING HOLIDAY HOME COMMUNITIES THAT SHARE A DEEP LOVE FOR MOTHER NATURE.’

Koto are very excited to be collaborating with Habitat First on bespoke holiday home and design projects.

‘MY AMBITION IS TO CREATE THE MOST EXCITING COLLECTION OF MODERN RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE IN THE WORLD. WE ARE WELL ON THE WAY WITH AN EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION OF LANDMARK HOMES DESIGNED BY SOME OF THE WORLD’S LEADING ARCHITECTS.’

RED PAXTON – DIRECTOR HABITAT FIRST GROUP

We look forward to releasing further details in the near future.

Interaction with nature is critically important to human well-being and development, but has become diminished in modern times. For over 20 years, Habitat First Group has been developing architect-designed homes for people who want to live side by side with nature –  a system that has been shown to benefit both people and wildlife. A recent survey of our residents revealed that lakeside living, countryside views and abundant wildlife all help them to escape from city life and gain a sense of relaxation that they hadn’t thought possible.

Whilst the benefits of the great outdoors make perfect sense to anybody who spends time in the open-air, scientific research gives this sentiment a much deeper meaning. Biophilia – the love of nature and living things – has been proven to have measurable benefits on productivity, emotional well-being, stress reduction, learning and healing.

Being immersed in nature has been proven to reduce stress by 19% (Kuo & Sullivan (2001)), whilst children learn up to 26% faster, when doing so in natural daylight environments. Conversely, Nature Deficit Disorder (the lack of contact children now have with nature) is now being explored as one of the contributing factors to ADHD.

At Habitat First Group, we are committed to Biophilic design from the architecture of the properties that permit maximum light and lake views to outdoor bathing opportunities; and managing hundreds of acres of nature reserves, allowing people to connect to nature. Our Chief Ecologist, Dr Phoebe Carter, is currently busy across our group developing and protecting wildlife habitats, improving the built environment for wildlife, and creating forest playgrounds and forest spas. All this helps to ensure that people experience and benefit from the natural world and in turn are inspired to appreciate nature and motivated to protect the environment.

In an era where people’s last priority at night and first priority in the morning is their smart phone, a Biophilic way of living is needed more than ever.

At Habitat First Group, we will continue to push the boundaries of Biophilic living, ensuring that people interact more with nature than technology and benefit from the incredible natural world around them.

Although we have been leading the field in Biophilic design in the UK for some time now we are always open to new ideas and collaborations. For more information or to discuss ideas please email us at biophilia@habitatfirstgroup.com.