Leckhampstead | BNG Units in Buckinghamshire

Located near Leckhampstead in Buckinghamshire, this habitat bank sits within the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands National Character Area and delivers a substantial volume of grassland, scrub, woodland and individual tree units to support off-site Biodiversity Net Gain requirements.

Key Facts

• Local Planning Authority (LPA): Buckinghamshire Council

• National Character Area (NCA): Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands

• LNRS: Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes

• HMMP: Yes

• Legal Agreement: Pending

• Total units (indicative): 593.05

Overview

Leckhampstead is an ILM biodiversity gain site in Buckinghamshire, positioned within the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands National Character Area.

The site delivers Other Neutral Grassland, Mixed Scrub, Other Woodland: Broadleaved and Rural Trees, generating units across medium and high distinctiveness categories. With a substantial number of units available, Leckhampstead is one of the larger sites in ILM's portfolio and represents a significant off-site BNG opportunity for developments across Buckinghamshire and the wider area, subject to spatial risk considerations.

An HMMP is in place and the legal agreement is currently being finalised. Units are available to reserve now ahead of registration on the Biodiversity Gain Site Register.

For information on site suitability, allocation and next steps, please enquire and the team will confirm the most appropriate route for your project.

The following units are currently indicated as available from Leckhampstead. Habitat and unit figures are subject to confirmation, and availability may change as units are allocated to live projects.

Units Available

Broad habitat	Habitat	Distinctiveness	Available units
Grassland	Other neutral grassland	Medium	447.20
Heathland and scrub	Mixed scrub	Medium	106.21
Woodland and forest	Other woodland; broadleaved	Medium	14.64
Woodland and forest	Wet woodland	High	5.53
Individual tree	Rural tree	Medium	1.63
Hedgerow	Species-rich native hedgerow	Medium	17.84

BNG Suitability

Leckhampstead 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 grassland, woodland, individual tree and hedgerow units from a single allocation, simplifying procurement for projects with multi-habitat deficits.

Its location within the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Claylands NCA typically supports compliance with spatial risk multiplier considerations for developments in and around Buckinghamshire, 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.

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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