West Lancashire BNG
Discover key habitats, BNG requirements, and planning guidance for developers in West Lancashire Local Planning Authority.
.avif)
Trusted by Developers and Landowners
Biodiversity Net Gain in West Lancashire Local Planning Authority
West Lancashire, situated in Lancashire in North West England, is a largely rural Local Planning Authority covering around 280 square kilometres. The district includes a mix of small towns, villages, and extensive agricultural land, with Ormskirk and Skelmersdale as its principal urban centres. The diverse landscape combines lowland farmland, woodlands, wetlands, and estuarine habitats, contributing to the area’s rich biodiversity and ecological significance.
West Lancashire Borough Council actively supports Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) aligned with the Environment Act 2021, requiring most developments to achieve a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity value through habitat creation, enhancement, or approved off-site contributions.
The LPA lies mainly within the Lancashire and Amounderness Plain National Character Area, adjacent to the Sefton Coast. These areas feature priority habitats such as lowland raised bogs, ancient woodlands, wet meadows, coastal marshes, and estuarine ecosystems. This rich ecological variety offers significant opportunities for BNG delivery but also requires careful management to balance development and conservation.
Understanding West Lancashire’s habitats and policy landscape is essential for developers, planners, and landowners to meet BNG obligations effectively and support local biodiversity.
Habitats in West Lancashire Local Planning Authority
.avif)
West Lancashire’s landscape comprises a mosaic of lowland habitats shaped by coastal and riverine influences:
Grassland Habitats
Lowland meadows and wet grasslands occur across the coastal plain and along river corridors, supporting diverse flora and fauna.
Improved grasslands dominate much agricultural land but hold lower biodiversity value without enhancement.
Woodland and Forest Habitats
The district contains ancient and semi-natural woodlands, including patches of lowland mixed deciduous woodland important for woodland birds, bats, and invertebrates.
Areas of wet woodland occur in floodplain and marshy areas, contributing to habitat diversity.
Wetland and Watercourse Habitats
The Ribble Estuary and Alt Estuary, both internationally designated sites (SAC and SPA), provide critical wetland and coastal habitats supporting priority species.
Smaller ponds, reedbeds, and drainage ditches complement the wetland network across the district.
Cropland Habitats
Arable farming and pastoral land predominate, with opportunities to enhance biodiversity through field margins, hedgerow management, and buffer strips.
Hedgerows and Linear Features
The rural landscape is characterised by species-rich hedgerows, banks, and ditches, serving as important wildlife corridors and habitat connectors under BNG.
West Lancashire BNG Planning
For BNG delivery, prioritising restoration and protection of high distinctiveness habitats such as lowland raised bog, coastal marsh, ancient woodland, and priority estuarine habitats is crucial, offering significant biodiversity uplift but with rigorous metric standards.
Lower distinctiveness habitats like improved grasslands and croplands can be enhanced through practical measures including hedgerow planting, buffer creation, and habitat connectivity improvements, providing flexible options for local BNG contributions.
Get notified of a scheme
We do not currently have any schemes covering this LPA.
Get notified when a scheme is available in this area.
Discover Schemes in
West Lancashire LPA
LPA
Restoring ecosystems and creating sustainable habitats
through BNG and nutrient mitigation.
Shavington Estate
Shavington Estate
Hurst Farm
Hurst Farm
Essex BNG at Priors Farm
Essex BNG at Priors Farm
Somerset BNG Scheme
Trinity Farm & Eastcombe Fields
Tees Nutrient Mitigation
Tees Nutrient Mitigation Scheme
.jpg)
Wiltshire BNG at Lydeway
Land at Lydeway
.jpg)
Herefordshire BNG at Hampton Wafre
Hampton Wafre Farm
Are you looking to start a BNG scheme?
Talk to Greenshank and explore the opportunities we offer through your land.
Latest News
A step-by-step guide for landowners looking to sell their land as BNG units, and how Greenshank can help at every stage of the process.
.webp)
Find out how biodiversity net gain legislation works under the Environment Act 2021, what it requires, and which developments are exempt.
Find out how nutrient mitigation schemes work for landowners, how nutrient credits are generated, and how to combine nutrient and BNG income.