Baldock | BNG Units in North Hertfordshire
Located in North Hertfordshire, this legally secured habitat bank sits within the East Anglian Chalk National Character Area and delivers grassland, scrub and hedgerow units to support off-site Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. Strategically bordering a Local Nature Reserve, the site converts predominantly arable cropland into a mix of Lowland Calcareous Grassland, Other Neutral Grassland and Mixed Scrub. The site may also support developments in nearby authorities including Stevenage, Central Bedfordshire and South Cambridgeshire, where off-site units may be required to meet BNG obligations, subject to spatial risk considerations and the latest statutory biodiversity metric rules.
Key Facts
Local Planning Authority (LPA): North Hertfordshire
National Character Area (NCA): East Anglian Chalk
LNRS: Hertfordshire
HMMP: Yes
Legal Status: Legally Secured
Legal Agreement: Section 106
Total units (indicative): 155.89
Overview
Baldock is an ILM biodiversity gain site in North Hertfordshire, positioned within the East Anglian Chalk National Character Area. The site is one of the larger habitat banks in the ILM portfolio, delivering a substantial volume of grassland units alongside scrub and hedgerow habitats.
This habitat bank delivers Other Neutral Grassland, Lowland Calcareous Grassland, Mixed Scrub and Species-rich Native Hedgerow with Trees, generating units across medium and high distinctiveness categories. The inclusion of Lowland Calcareous Grassland - a priority habitat - provides high-distinctiveness area units that are often in limited supply in Hertfordshire and the surrounding region.
An HMMP is in place and the site is legally secured via a Section 106 agreement. Units are available for allocation.
BNG Suitability
Baldock provides units across medium and high distinctiveness, allowing developers to meet BNG trading rules where like-for-like or trading up is required. The site delivers area-based and hedgerow units from a single allocation, simplifying procurement for projects with deficits across multiple habitat types.
Its location within the East Anglian Chalk NCA typically supports compliance with spatial risk multiplier considerations for developments in and around North Hertfordshire, subject to the latest statutory biodiversity metric rules and project-specific assessment. Developers building within the same NCA or LPA may benefit from a lower spatial risk multiplier, potentially reducing the total number of units required to meet their off-site BNG obligation. The site's position within the Hertfordshire LNRS area may also be relevant as the spatial risk framework transitions toward LNRS boundaries.
With over 140 area-based units available, Baldock is well suited to larger developments or phased schemes requiring significant off-site BNG allocations. The volume available from a single site can reduce procurement complexity compared to sourcing units across multiple providers.
Next Steps
Securing off-site BNG units for your development is straightforward. Confirm site suitability by getting in touch with the ILM team, who will check that the available units match your project's habitat and distinctiveness requirements. Once confirmed, units are allocated to your development and reserved ahead of Biodiversity Gain Plan submission. Early engagement is recommended to ensure suitable units are available for your project timeline.
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