Warrington LPA BNG

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

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Biodiversity Net Gain in Warrington 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.

Warrington, located in North West England, is a unitary authority strategically positioned between Liverpool and Manchester. Covering approximately 182 square kilometres, the borough includes a densely populated urban core surrounded by greenbelt land, river corridors, and a mosaic of farmland, parks, and former industrial sites.

Warrington Borough Council has incorporated Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements into its planning processes in line with the Environment Act 2021, requiring most developments to deliver at least a 10% measurable net gain in biodiversity. This can be achieved on-site through habitat creation or enhancement, or via recognised off-site biodiversity units. The Council’s Local Plan policies support the integration of BNG within wider green infrastructure, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and nature recovery networks.

Warrington falls predominantly within the Mersey Valley National Character Area and includes parts of the Cheshire Plain, giving rise to varied habitats including rivers, floodplain grassland, woodland, wetlands, and brownfield mosaics. The River Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal shape the borough’s landscape, forming key wildlife corridors through its urban and peri-urban zones.

Warrington's approach to BNG focuses on aligning ecological improvement with urban regeneration, flood resilience, and health and wellbeing benefits. The borough is developing Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) and is engaged in regional habitat bank and offsetting initiatives.

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Habitats in Warrington 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 urbanisation, Warrington hosts a wide array of habitats thanks to its river valleys, greenbelt, and reclaimed post-industrial land.

Wetland and River Habitats

The River Mersey, Sankey Brook, and Manchester Ship Canal form key aquatic corridors, with riparian zones supporting otters, fish, and wetland birds.

Floodplain grazing marsh, reedbeds, and marshy grassland occur along river corridors and low-lying areas.

Ponds, ditches, and SuDS basins are common across developments and in greenspaces.

Grassland Habitats

Improved and semi-improved grassland dominates in parks, school fields, and agricultural fringe areas.

Lowland neutral and calcareous grasslands, though scarce, are present on some verges and unmanaged areas and support a diverse wildflower assemblage.

Amenity grassland offers opportunity for enhancement through meadow creation.

Woodland and Scrub Habitats

Lowland mixed deciduous woodland is scattered across the borough in ancient fragments, parklands, and urban fringe areas.

Wet woodland and carr habitats occur near the Mersey and its tributaries.

Scrub, bramble, and woodland edge habitats are common on former industrial land and canal edges.

Brownfield and Urban Mosaic Habitats

Reclaimed industrial sites and disused rail corridors often support open mosaic habitat, highly valued in the BNG metric.

These sites provide floristically rich grasslands, bare ground, and ephemeral pools.

Hedgerows and Linear Features

Species-rich hedgerows are found in the greenbelt and older field systems.

Disused railways, towpaths, and greenways function as ecological corridors, particularly those linking urban parks with the rural edge.

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Warrington 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.

To effectively deliver BNG in Warrington, the protection and enhancement of high distinctiveness habitats—including priority rivers, reedbeds, and open mosaic brownfield sites—is critical. These habitats are often difficult to replicate and hold strategic value for biodiversity connectivity.

In more developed areas, enhancing low and medium distinctiveness habitats, such as improved grassland, SuDS ponds, and hedgerows, can provide valuable uplift. Incorporating wildflower planting, pond creation, native tree planting, and green roofs into urban regeneration projects helps maximise BNG potential on constrained sites.

Warrington’s floodplain location also supports multifunctional BNG opportunities that align with natural flood management, climate resilience, and green infrastructure goals. Off-site delivery options are being developed in partnership with habitat banks and conservation organisations.

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