Swindon LPA BNG

Swindon is a unitary borough of about 244,000 people between two protected landscapes: the North Wessex Downs National Landscape covers the south-east of the borough, and the Cotswolds National Landscape lies to the north. The River Ray forms much of the western boundary and the River Cole and its tributaries run north-east from the town. Coate Water is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the Wilts and Berks Canal is being restored, and the Swindon Forest Meadows project has restored about 170 hectares of grassland at 12 sites, mostly along the River Ray. The Great Western Community Forest has planted about 447,000 trees across roughly 586 hectares since 2020.

​

Biodiversity Net Gain became a legal requirement for major developments in England on 12 February 2024, and for small sites on 2 April 2024. Swindon Borough Council’s planning pages state that it is mandatory for applicable applications to deliver a minimum of 10% net gain. The adopted Swindon Local Plan 2026 dates from 26 March 2015, and a new Local Plan for 2023 to 2043 is at the Regulation 19 publication stage. The council has not published a local figure above 10% or a BNG Supplementary Planning Document, so developers here work to national policy and the statutory metric. The Wiltshire and Swindon Local Nature Recovery Strategy was adopted by Wiltshire Council on 21 October 2025, with Swindon as a supporting authority.

​

Off-site delivery for Swindon schemes follows the Wiltshire and Swindon LNRS, which maps ecological networks and habitat restoration priorities across both council areas. The council’s own draft biodiversity report names two local pressures: recreation at the North Meadow and Clattinger Farm SAC, which has its own recreation mitigation strategy, and the need to create wildlife-rich habitat outside protected sites, where it sets a target of 2,632 hectares by 2030.