Origin Green-tech's TreeParker® aids biodiversity and water management of York's first net-zero housing development

PROJECT:  Burnholme Green new housing and green spaces

LOCATION:  York

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT:  BBUK Studio

MAIN CONTRACTOR: Caddick Construction

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR:  Atlas Green Ltd

PRODUCT/SERVICES SUPPLIED:    Origin Green-tech TreeParker® Tree pit system, Mona irrigation, tree anchors, root barrier, Green-tree topsoil, bioretention, and subsoil.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Burnholme Green is a flagship residential development being delivered by the City of York Council as part of its wider Housing Delivery Programme.

The development comprises 78 homes, built to stringent Passivhaus standards and designed to achieve net-zero carbon in use. This is the council’s first net-zero carbon in-use development and sets a new benchmark for sustainability in York. The idea was to create a healthy, sustainable, and inclusive neighbourhood, providing vital local housing whilst also addressing climate change.

A key feature of this project is its landscape-led design. Rather than treating green space as a necessary planning requirement, the landscape helps to shape the entire development. The focus is on creating a neighbourhood that promotes health, wellbeing, biodiversity and social interaction. Abundant open spaces, community gardens, shared growing areas, and attractive pedestrian routes positively encourage residents to spend time outdoors and engage with one another, including a number of car-free ‘play streets’.

Caddick Construction was the main contractor, and landscape implementation, including public open spaces, was overseen by Caddick Civil Engineering and carried out by landscape contractors, Atlas Green.

LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS

Caddick Construction has provided groundworks and civil engineering expertise for over forty years, with Origin Green-tech supporting their projects for more than twenty years. Whilst Atlas Green, one of Yorkshire’s leading landscaping companies for the past four decades, works across commercial and housing developments, including groundworks, drainage, and tree protection, and has built a valuable and trusted relationship with Origin Green-tech since 2005.

CHALLENGES

The landscape design was developed by BBUK Studio in London, with the tree pits initially designed using Origin Green-tech’s tree raft system. Early in the scheme, Origin Green-tech attended a site meeting with Caddick to discuss the best way of achieving the most efficient tree pits. In conjunction with Caddick and BBUK, it was decided to switch from the raft to the TreeParker® crate-style system. BBUK amended the landscape plans, working closely with, and using detail drawings supplied by Origin Green-tech’s team.

ORIGIN GREEN-TECH PRODUCTS SUPPLIED

TreeParker® offers several benefits: quick, simple assembly and installation, and water attenuation capability, making it an effective Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) solution. Each TreeParker® tree pit can hold around 40-45% of its overall volume in water at full saturation. This excess water is allowed to percolate naturally into the base formation or is connected to a positive drainage outlet that returns it to the main drainage system. Developed to combine robust tree root management with SuDS performance, TreeParker® delivers a technically advanced solution that aligns well with the project's sustainability goals.

The TreeParker® system enables trees to be planted within paved and pedestrianised areas without compromising the structural integrity of the rooting soil. The high load-bearing capacity ensures that the paved surfaces above remain supported while protecting the soft, organic topsoil in the tree pit from compaction, enabling strong, healthy tree growth.

With six depth options and support posts rather than side walls, the system’s modular, utility-friendly design simplifies installation around underground services, allowing tree roots to thrive without affecting infrastructure. As a result, the project supports healthier trees that are better equipped to withstand urban stress and future climate variability. Unique TreeParker® spacers were used to extend and to ensure the most cost-effective use of the available space.

800mm-deep TreeParker® cells were supplied for the trees in hard landscaping throughout the scheme, as well as ancillary items such as tree anchors, Mona irrigation rings, gt325 root barrier, ornamental bark, and specialist bioretention soil for the rain gardens. In total, around 300 cubic metres of supported rooting volume was created, featuring over 300 tons of Green-tree British Standard topsoil, and 260 tonnes of subsoil.

IMPACT AND OUTCOME

Harry Ryder, Contracts Manager at Atlas Green, comments,

“I am incredibly pleased with the TreeParker® system. From delivery to installation, everything ran smoothly. I believe it’s easily the best tree pit system on the market. It’s simple to use, install, and highly effective.

The Origin Green-tech team provided on-site installation training, which was a great service, although to be honest, it wasn’t really needed as the system is so straightforward. The client is delighted with the finished result, and we wouldn’t hesitate to use TreeParker® again on future projects.”