A colony of common lizards will be spending their first Christmas hibernating in a new purpose-built home after a move from Discovery Park to Betteshanger Country Park.

With plans for a residential development on the site where the creatures were living at the Sandwich business park, managers asked Betteshanger Country Park to become a receptor site.

The two parks agreed and worked closely with engineering firm Aecom and environmental consultancy Native Ecology relocating hundreds of the sun-seeking reptiles over the summer.

To welcome the new arrivals, Betteshanger Country Park transformed an area of its site into a lizard-friendly environment that is complete with reptile fencing, two hibernacula winter shelters and earth mounds.

Lorraine Cheesmur, Betteshanger Country Park’s general manager, said: “We were delighted to be able to assist in this project and that the conditions at Betteshanger made the relocation project possible.

“The lizards now have a wonderful new home and we have worked hard to ensure our new residents feel welcome.”

The reptile relocation programme will be monitored over the next five years, with Darryn Nash, principal ecologist at Aecom, linking the project to his on-going PhD research at the University of Kent.

Alan Carver, project manager at Discovery Park, said: “The collaborative working between all parties has resulted in a win-win situation for all – not least the lizards who now have a purpose built home at Betteshanger Country Park.”

Kimberley Anderson, corporate relations manager at Discovery Park, said: “It’s great to have been able to work with Betteshanger Country Park on this project, linking two sites that are so vital to east Kent’s future.

“This is just the start of our partnership.

“We look forward to working more closely together going forward.”