St Albans LPA BNG

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

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Biodiversity Net Gain in St Albans 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.

St Albans, located in Hertfordshire in South East England, is a predominantly semi-rural Local Planning Authority (LPA) characterised by a blend of historic urban centres, market towns, and rural villages. Covering an area of approximately 368 square kilometres, the district includes the cathedral city of St Albans as the principal urban centre, alongside significant towns and villages such as Harpenden, Wheathampstead, and Redbourn. These settlements are surrounded by a diverse landscape of agricultural land, ancient woodlands, and chalk downlands, each contributing to the area’s rich ecological heritage and distinctive landscape character.

As part of its commitment to sustainable development, St Albans City and District Council actively supports the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in accordance with the Environment Act 2021. Developers operating within the LPA are required to achieve a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity value for most developments, secured through habitat creation, enhancement, or verified off-site biodiversity units.

St Albans lies predominantly within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and overlaps with National Character Areas (NCAs) including the Chilterns and the Northern Thames Basin. These areas influence the typical habitat types found throughout the district, including ancient beech woodlands, chalk grasslands, mixed farmland, and riparian corridors. Many of these habitats are recognised as priority habitats under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, presenting both opportunities and challenges for effective BNG delivery that requires careful ecological assessment and strategic planning.

For developers, landowners, and planners working in St Albans, a strong understanding of the district’s landscape context, habitat distribution, and local biodiversity policies is essential to meeting BNG obligations. Our team provides tailored support through detailed BNG assessments, habitat mapping, and access to verified local biodiversity units and offsetting schemes.

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

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Habitats in St Albans 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.

The natural landscape of St Albans is strongly influenced by its location within the Chilterns AONB and the underlying chalk geology, which supports a variety of important habitats protected under BNG and UK conservation priorities.

Grassland Habitats

Chalk grassland and calcareous grasslands are prominent on the Chiltern hills, supporting diverse flora including orchids, wild thyme, and other specialist species.

Lowland meadows and neutral grasslands are scattered in valleys and agricultural land, providing valuable habitat for pollinators and ground-nesting birds.

Modified grasslands dominate improved pasture and amenity areas, offering moderate biodiversity value unless enhanced.

Woodland and Forest Habitats

Ancient beech woodlands and mixed deciduous woodlands form extensive blocks, particularly across the Chiltern escarpment, providing critical habitat for bats, dormice, and woodland birds.

Wood-pasture and parkland, often associated with historic estates, include veteran trees which are a rare and valuable BNG habitat.

Wet woodlands are found in riparian corridors, adding to habitat diversity.

Heathland and Shrub

Fragmented patches of lowland heath and mixed scrub are present on acid soils in certain parts of the district, supporting specialist bird species such as nightjar and Dartford warbler.

Wetland and Watercourse Habitats

The River Ver and other smaller watercourses flow through the district, often bordered by floodplain meadows and wetland mosaics important for amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.

Ponds, reedbeds, and ditches are scattered through rural and urban areas, contributing to local biodiversity connectivity.

Cropland Habitats

Arable farmland dominates much of the district, with increasing potential to enhance biodiversity through field margins, hedgerows, and buffer strips.

Hedgerows and Linear Features

Species-rich hedgerows, often accompanying ditches and banks, form critical wildlife corridors across the agricultural landscape, supporting connectivity under BNG schemes.

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St Albans 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.

For Biodiversity Net Gain delivery in St Albans, priority is given to protecting and enhancing high distinctiveness habitats such as chalk grasslands, ancient woodlands, wood-pasture, and priority rivers and wetlands. Restoration or creation of these habitats generates the highest biodiversity uplift but also carries stricter requirements under the biodiversity metric.

Conversely, improving lower distinctiveness habitats such as modified grasslands and cropland through hedgerow planting, field margin creation, or wetland enhancements provides practical on-site or local BNG opportunities.

Towns & Cities

St Albans

Harpenden

Wheathampstead

Redbourn

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