Westmorland and Furness BNG

Westmorland and Furness is a unitary authority in North West England, formed in 2023. It encompasses a vast and diverse landscape that includes parts of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, the Furness Peninsula, Eden Valley, and extensive upland and lowland areas. The authority includes key settlements such as Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Penrith, and Ulverston.

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Under the Environment Act 2021, Westmorland and Furness Council requires most development proposals to deliver a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). This can be achieved through on-site habitat creation or enhancement, or via off-site biodiversity units and credits.

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The region spans several National Character Areas (NCAs), including Cumbria High Fells, Eden Valley, and West Cumbria Coastal Plain. These areas support diverse habitats such as blanket bogs, upland heath, lowland meadows, ancient woodlands, rivers, estuaries, and grazed pastures. Species of conservation concern include curlew, otter, red squirrel, great crested newt, and native orchids.

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Effective BNG planning in Westmorland and Furness focuses on peatland restoration, protection of species-rich grasslands, enhancement of woodland corridors, and maintaining connectivity between upland and lowland habitats.

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We provide comprehensive BNG assessments, habitat condition surveys, and metric calculations tailored to the varied environments across this large authority area.