Wood Farm | BNG Units in Wiltshire
Located in Wiltshire, this legally secured habitat bank sits within the Avon Vales National Character Area and delivers a diverse range of grassland, meadow, scrub, woodland, wetland and hedgerow habitat units to support off-site Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. The site may also support developments in nearby authorities including Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Cotswold, where off-site units may be required to meet BNG obligations, subject to spatial risk considerations and project-specific assessment.
Key Facts
Local Planning Authority (LPA): Wiltshire Council
National Character Area (NCA): Avon Vales
LNRS: Wiltshire and Swindon
HMMP: Yes
Legal Agreement: Conservation Covenant
Total units (indicative): 69.67
Status: Legally Secured
Overview
Wood Farm is an Integrated Land Management (ILM) biodiversity gain site in Wiltshire, within the Avon Vales National Character Area.
The site delivers a broad mix of habitat types, including Other Neutral Grassland, Lowland Meadows, Mixed Scrub, Other Woodland: Broadleaved, Rural Trees, Reedbeds, Ponds (non-priority habitat), Species-Rich Native Hedgerow with Trees and Ditches. These habitats generate biodiversity units across medium, high and very high distinctiveness categories.
The inclusion of Lowland Meadows at very high distinctiveness adds particular value for projects with higher-distinctiveness offsetting requirements that can be difficult to source locally. Reedbeds at high distinctiveness further broaden the site’s suitability for wetland-related habitat deficits.
An approved Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) is in place and the site is legally secured via a Conservation Covenant. Units are available to reserve, with registration details to follow.
Positioned within the Avon Vales NCA, the site is well placed to serve development projects across Wiltshire and the surrounding area. 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 available from Wood Farm. Availability may change as units are allocated to live projects.
Units Available
BNG Suitability
Wood Farm provides units across medium, high and very high distinctiveness, allowing developers to meet BNG trading rules where like-for-like or trading up is required. The presence of Lowland Meadows at very high distinctiveness is particularly relevant for projects facing a shortfall in higher-distinctiveness grassland habitat. The site also delivers woodland, wetland, lakes, individual tree and hedgerow units from a single allocation, simplifying procurement for projects with multi-habitat deficits.
It’s location within the Avon Vales NCA typically supports compliance with spatial risk multiplier considerations for developments in and around Wiltshire, 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.
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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