Coming from a farming background (and once being livestock editor on Farmers Weekly!), I have a keen interest in what's happening in the world of farming.
Imagine my surprise when I had a call from developer Urban Splash to say they were busy craning cows onto the top of their latest development, Fort Dunlop in Birmingham. Cows and construction - my two favourite things!
I wasn't sure the animal rights lobby would approve of their unusual method of getting the cows onto the roof either - surely the lift would have been a better option? Turns out they are fibreglass - at least they won't add to the development's carbon footprint, and can spend their days peacefully grazing and keeping an eye on traffic chaos on the M6.
If you've got any "signature" things you do when you finish a building or project, we'd be keen to hear about them!
If you'd like to read the PR blurb about the mooooove, carry on....
....HERD OF FRIESIAN COWS LATEST TENANTS TO MOO-VE INTO FORT DUNLOP
With four legs and a black and white coat and tail, the latest tenants to move into Birmingham's iconic Fort Dunlop are certainly a breed apart from the usual occupiers. Craned 180 feet into their new home today on the green roof at Fort Dunlop were a herd of three life-size cows.
Known for thinking outside the building, Urban Splash, the developer behind Fort Dunlop, has traditionally celebrated the completion of its projects with the installation of its signature life size cows.
Craned into place by the building's contractors, Urban Splash Build, each of the fibreglass herd is sitting, standing or lying down. Reflecting the building's former use as a tyre warehouse, the three female Friesian cows also have a playground theme that utilises tyres. One is set within a tyre swing, the second in a tyre play pit and the third in stepping tyres.
Nathan Cornish is managing director of Urban Splash Midlands, "With Fort Dunlop's completion as an inspirational commercial space, we'd always planned to bring a herd to Fort Dunlop. The Friesians' new home is a cow mound we've had specially created on the building's grass roof. With lettings going so well at Fort Dunlop, the roof was one of the few options left! We also thought it was only fair to allow them some land to graze."
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