Blackpool LPA BNG

Discover key habitats, BNG requirements, and planning guidance for developers in Blackpool LPA Local Planning Authority.

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Biodiversity Net Gain in Blackpool LPA Local Planning Authority

West Berkshire, located in South East England, is a predominantly rural Local Planning Authority (LPA) known for its diverse natural environment and rich ecological heritage. Covering an area of approximately 704 square kilometres, the district includes a range of urban centres and rural settlements, with Newbury serving as the principal town. Other significant towns and villages within the LPA include Thatcham, Hungerford, Pangbourne, and Theale, each contributing to the area's distinctive landscape character and biodiversity value.

As part of its commitment to sustainable development, West Berkshire Council actively supports the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in line with the Environment Act 2021. Developers working within the LPA are required to deliver a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity value for most developments, secured through habitat creation, enhancement, or approved off-site units.

West Berkshire encompasses several National Character Areas (NCAs), notably the North Wessex Downs and Thames Basin Heaths, each influencing the typical habitat types found in the region. These include ancient woodlands, chalk grasslands, river valleys, lowland mixed deciduous woodlands, and floodplain meadows—many of which are priority habitats under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. This ecological diversity presents both opportunities and constraints for BNG delivery, requiring careful ecological assessment and strategic planning.

For developers, landowners, and planners operating within West Berkshire, understanding the LPA’s landscape, habitat distribution, and regional policy context is critical to meeting BNG obligations. Our team provides tailored support through BNG assessments, habitat mapping, and access to verified local BNG units and schemes.

To learn more about BNG opportunities in this area, contact us or register to be notified when local schemes become available.

Blackpool, situated on the Fylde Coast in North West England, is a unitary authority and one of the UK’s most densely populated seaside towns. Covering just 35 square kilometres, Blackpool is predominantly urban in character but contains important green and blue infrastructure, including coastal dunes, urban parks, and remnants of wetland habitat. Its landscape and ecological potential are shaped by its proximity to the Irish Sea and low-lying Fylde Plain.

Blackpool Council is committed to delivering Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in accordance with the Environment Act 2021, requiring developers to achieve at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value on applicable schemes. This may be delivered through on-site habitat creation and enhancement, or through approved off-site units within or beyond the borough. The Council is embedding BNG into its Local Plan policies and regeneration strategies to ensure development supports ecological networks, climate resilience, and access to nature.

The borough is located within the Lancashire and Amounderness Plain National Character Area, which includes coastal marshes, sand dunes, drainage ditches, and lowland pastures. Although highly urbanised, Blackpool’s natural assets—particularly in its southern and coastal zones—offer opportunities for biodiversity improvements, especially when integrated into urban regeneration and green infrastructure projects.

To support developers, landowners, and stakeholders, Blackpool Council promotes early consideration of BNG through baseline assessments, use of the statutory biodiversity metric, and exploration of local and regional offset opportunities.

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Habitats in Blackpool LPA Local Planning Authority

West Berkshire’s landscape is shaped predominantly by the North Wessex Downs National Character Area (NCA 116), a chalk downland landscape of international ecological importance, and partly by the Thames Basin Heaths (NCA 129). These NCAs support a rich mosaic of habitats, many of which are priority habitats under BNG classifications and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

Grassland Habitats
Lowland calcareous grassland dominates the chalk ridge areas, supporting diverse plant species like orchids and wild thyme.
Lowland meadows are scattered along the Kennet Valley and floodplain, offering high biodiversity value, particularly for invertebrates and ground-nesting birds.
Areas of modified grassland are common in improved pastures and paddocks, but these hold lower BNG value unless enhanced.
In some acidic soils, lowland dry acid grassland and other lowland acid grassland can be found, especially on sandy substrates and heathland edges.

Woodland and Forest Habitats
The LPA contains extensive lowland mixed deciduous woodland, particularly on the clay-with-flints plateau and valley slopes, providing habitat for bats, dormice, and woodland birds.
Veteran trees and old estates feature wood-pasture and parkland, a rare and highly valued BNG habitat.
Areas of wet woodland, often associated with river valleys, add to the ecological complexity.

Heathland and Shrub
On the fringes of the Thames Basin Heaths, lowland heathland and mixed scrub are present, though often fragmented, supporting heathland birds like nightjar and Dartford warbler.

Wetland and Watercourse Habitats
The River Kennet, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), provides priority river habitats and supports adjacent floodplain wetland mosaics.
Smaller ponds, reedbeds, and ditches are scattered across the landscape, particularly in floodplain areas.

Cropland Habitats
Much of West Berkshire’s agricultural land is under cereal crops or temporary grass and clover leys, but there is increasing scope to integrate arable field margins for biodiversity gain.

Hedgerows and Linear Features
The rural landscape is strongly characterised by native species-rich hedgerows, often associated with ditches and banks, which function as critical wildlife corridors under BNG classification.

Despite its compact and urban setting, Blackpool supports a number of valuable habitat types, particularly along the coast and within designated open spaces.

Coastal and Dune Habitats

Sand dunes at the southern edge of the borough, near Starr Gate and Squires Gate, form part of the wider Fylde coastal dune system and support rare plants and invertebrates.

Maritime grassland and strandline vegetation are present along the upper beach and dune margins.

The adjacent saltmarsh and intertidal flats (just outside the LPA boundary) are functionally linked and critical for bird populations.

Grassland Habitats

Improved and amenity grassland is dominant in urban parks, school grounds, and recreational fields, often low in biodiversity but suitable for enhancement.

Pockets of semi-improved grassland occur in places like Marton Mere LNR and along road verges.

Opportunities exist for wildflower meadow creation in underused green spaces.

Wetland and Watercourse Habitats

Marton Mere, a designated SSSI and Local Nature Reserve, is Blackpool’s key wetland site, supporting reedbeds, open water, and marshy grassland.

Urban drainage ditches, especially on the town’s eastern edge, connect into wider wetland systems.

Ponds and SuDS features can be found in some newer developments and public open spaces.

Woodland and Scrub Habitats

Woodland is limited in extent but includes broadleaved plantation and scattered trees in parks, cemeteries, and golf courses.

Scrub habitats are present in unmanaged corners of public land and on brownfield sites, often forming part of urban wildlife corridors.

Brownfield and Urban Habitats

Disused and underutilised land, including former rail lines and industrial plots, support open mosaic habitat, particularly in south and east Blackpool.

Urban gardens, street trees, and pocket greenspaces provide fragmented but valuable ecological functions.

Hedgerows and Linear Features

Hedgerows are scarce in the urban core but more common on the borough’s fringes and along roadways.

Green corridors such as Yeadon Way and footpaths around Marton Mere support linear connectivity.

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Blackpool LPA BNG Planning

For BNG delivery in West Berkshire, high and very high distinctiveness habitats such as lowland calcareous grassland, lowland meadows, wood-pasture, and priority rivers are particularly important to protect and enhance. Restoration or creation of such habitats provides the highest biodiversity uplift but also carries stricter requirements under the BNG metric.

Conversely, improving lower distinctiveness habitats, such as modified grassland or cropland through buffer planting, hedgerow enhancement, or field margin creation, offers practical options for on-site or local BNG contributions.

BNG delivery in Blackpool should focus on protecting and enhancing high distinctiveness habitats such as sand dunes, coastal grasslands, and wetlands at Marton Mere. These areas are ecologically valuable but often sensitive, requiring appropriate ecological mitigation and management.

In urban areas, BNG can be effectively delivered through the enhancement of lower distinctiveness habitats, such as amenity grassland, urban drainage features, and disused brownfield land. Suitable interventions include the creation of wildflower verges, rain gardens, green roofs, reedbed construction, and pond installation. Green infrastructure projects and public realm improvements offer further scope for integrating biodiversity gains with recreational and climate adaptation goals.

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