Ripon Habitat Bank
- County
- North Yorkshire
- Local planning authority (LPA)
- North Yorkshire Council
- National Character Area (NCA)
- Pennine Dales Fringe
- Biodiversity gain sites register number
- BGS-251024002
Biodiversity Units
Very high distinctiveness habitats
- Lowland meadows
High distinctiveness habitats
- Other rivers and streams
- Ponds (priority habitat)
Medium distinctiveness habitats
- Mixed scrub
- Other neutral grassland
Habitat Bank overview
At the eastern edge of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) lies our more than forty-acre Habitat Bank on the rural outskirts of Ripon, around twelve miles north of Harrogate.
The site is surrounding by hedgerows and woodland parcels, and we are building new habitats to develop ecological connectivity with the surrounding landscape.
BNG delivery
At every Habitat Bank, we always look at the land to determine what can be achieved from the very start. Our biodiversity experts assess the soil, wildlife, vegetation, geology, hydrology, management history, and connectivity across the local landscape.
We take a baseline for each Habitat Bank using the statutory biodiversity metric. We carefully select the best possible habitats for us to establish so we can deliver and demonstrate measurable biodiversity gains over time.
Coverage
| Neighbouring LPAs |
|---|
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Middlesborough Council
|
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York City Council
|
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Pendle Borough Council
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Bradford Metropolitan District Council
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Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
|
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Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
|
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East Riding of Yorkshire Council
|
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North York Moors National Park Authority
|
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Darlington Borough Council
|
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Durham County Council
|
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Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
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Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
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Lancaster City Council
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Leeds City Council
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Doncaster City Council
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Ribble Valley Borough Council
|
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Lancashire County Council
|
| Neighbouring NCAs |
|---|
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Tees Lowlands
|
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North Pennines
|
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Southern Pennines
|
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Yorkshire Dales
|
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Vale of Mowbray
|
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Southern Magnesian Limestone
|
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Durham Coalfield Pennine Fringe
|
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Nottingham, Derbyshire and Yorkshire Coalfield
|
Our vision
Our Ripon Habitat Bank sits within a two-mile radius between a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This makes the site a particularly strategic location for biodiversity restoration – allowing us to build connectivity between our high distinctiveness habitats and these designated sites.
We’re transforming the landscape into a broad wildflower meadow rich in native flora and fauna, encouraging natural variations in structure between the wetter and drier areas of the site. We will be creating pockets of scrub which will help link up existing woodlands, both within the site and wider landscape.
We’re excavating ponds across the site, targeting natural springs, depressions, and wetter areas, creating a beautiful mosaic of habitats that provide a haven for species of wildlife. Particularly, we are creating scrapes for curlew and lapwing which have gone through a significant national decline in recent decades.
Our enhancements will revitalise the soil, improving health and structure to create a more resilient landscape. The site will provide a home for a range of wildlife, including protected species such as barn owl, otters, and great crested newts.
Buy BNG Units
Find out the cost and availability of Biodiversity Units from Ripon Habitat Bank.
Nearest Habitat Banks
Keighley Habitat Bank
NCA: Southern Pennines