In partnership with Avéole, Station Hill has welcomed two beehives on the roof of the Phase-1 residential development ‘Ebb’ ahead of World Bee Day on 20 May 

Lincoln Property Company (‘Lincoln’) and MGT Investment Management, the joint venture delivering the landmark Station Hill mixed-used development in Reading, has established two beehives on the rooftop of its ‘Ebb’ residential scheme in partnership with environmental services expert, Avéole. The announcement is also a celebration of World Bee Day on 20 May.

In a bid to further enhance the scheme’s biodiversity offer to the local community, Station Hill first partnered with Avéole, a certified B Corp providing nature-based solutions to buildings in more than 60 cities worldwide, in July 2022. Since then, the ‘Ebb’ residential part of Station Hill, has welcomed two beehives to its rooftop. Inside each hive lives a queen – who can be seen in the below image – as well as worker bees, drones, larvae and pollen, together with the nectar that will eventually become honey.

In addition to protecting the bees – vital pollinators which are now starting to explore their new surroundings and identify the best flower resources in the area – the hives will also drive wellness, connecting with Ebb’s community and encouraging both residents and team members to engage with the nature-based amenity.

The beehive initiative is a further demonstration of Station Hill’s strong commitment to sustainability following the sponsorship of four young trees as part of the ‘Trees for Reading’ initiative in May and the planting of 135 proposed trees across the development as it moves towards completion.

The bee-friendly oasis will be managed by a dedicated urban beekeeper to ensure the health of happiness of its insect residents.

Lee Fearnhead, Director of Construction for UK & Europe at Lincoln Property Company, said: “As part of our commitment to increasing biodiversity at Station Hill, we are proud to partner with Avéole and welcome these two beehives to the rooftop of Ebb. We look forward to seeing the bees thrive in their new home and hope that both residents and team members alike can connect over this new initiative. We are committed to making Reading a happier, healthier and greener place to live and we are pleased to launch this scheme as part of a wider, ongoing programme of activities to promote sustainable best practice at Station Hill”. 

Alvéole’s urban beekeeper, Gus Crook commented: “It’s a pleasure to look after the hives at Station Hill. Honeybees are such a great catalyst for engaging with our urban ecosystem. We share our cities with millions of pollinating insects that we don’t even notice, even though they are vital to our existence, so there is nothing like getting up close with them and learning about their incredible impact on our planet.”