Client: Manchester City Women’s Football Club
Location: First Team Training Facility Project
Scope: 5 Niche Bee Posts & 5 Bespoke 3D Timber Habitat Letters
The Brief
Following the successful integration of Niche habitats at the main Manchester City training site four years ago, we were invited back to support the development of the new, state-of-the-art Women’s Football Club facility. The goal was to seamlessly weave functional biodiversity into the architectural landscape of the new extension, continuing the club's commitment to urban ecology and nature-based solutions.
The Niche Solution
To meet the brief, we designed and installed a comprehensive habitat package that serves both aesthetic and deeply functional ecological purposes:
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Commercial Bee Posts: We installed 5 of our signature Niche bee posts across the new facility. Crafted from sustainable UK timber, these posts replicate standing deadwood, providing vital nesting space for cavity-nesting solitary bees.
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Bespoke 3D Habitat Letters: To create a striking visual statement that didn't compromise on ecological value, we designed and manufactured 5 bespoke 3D timber habitat letters. These structural pieces were custom-fitted with a highly technical mix of substrates to support a wide array of wildlife. The filling included drilled logs for solitary bees, cob bricks to support species that prefer natural earth, and sustainably sourced alpaca wool, providing premium, easily accessible nesting material for local bird populations.
The Ecological Strategy
This new installation is an extension of our previous work at the site. Four years ago, we installed 11 Niche bee posts across the broader training campus.
By adding 5 new posts and the bespoke habitat letters, we are executing a proven ecological strategy: creating a network of habitats. Distributing numerous bee posts and varied nesting sites across a large estate ensures that different species can find their preferred microclimates, making it significantly easier for diverse invertebrate populations to establish strong, resilient colonies in the area.
Proven Results
Because function always comes first at Niche, the true measure of our success is the wildlife itself. Over the past four years, the original Niche installations at the Manchester City site have been actively monitored, with a fantastic array of species recorded successfully breeding in the structures, including:
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Red Mason Bees
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Orange-Vented Mason Bees
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Leafcutter Bees
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Yellow-Face Bees
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Tiny Aphid-Hunting Wasps
By expanding this habitat network into the new Women’s Football Club facility, we are proud to continue supporting this incredible biodiversity, proving that elite commercial development and thriving local ecology can exist side-by-side.
