Harrogate 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-140225001

Birds-eye render of Harrogate Habitat Bank before restoration

Very high distinctiveness habitats

Lowland meadows

High distinctiveness habitats

Lowland mixed deciduous woodland
Ponds (priority habitat)

Medium distinctiveness habitats

Mixed scrub
Other neutral grassland
Other woodland; broadleaved
Rural tree
Species-rich native hedgerow

Low distinctiveness habitats

Native hedgerow

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Habitat Bank overview

This eighty-acre Habitat Bank located between Harrogate and Otley is part of our expanding national network.

Here we are working to connect the existing farmland with local ancient woodland to maximise local environmental benefits – transforming a mixture of permanent pasture and silage fields into a perfectly blended landscape of thriving habitats and sustainable agriculture.

BNG delivery

An essential part of our Habitat Bank delivery process is the initial assessment of the land. This ensures that our team are maximising potential biodiversity uplift from the outset. We look at each site’s natural features and histories – taking into account soil type and condition, long-term management history, native wildlife, hydrology, existing vegetation, geology, and connectivity across wider landscapes.

For each of our Habitat Banks, we take a baseline using the statutory biodiversity metric – ensuring that we can accurately measure the benefits brought by our nature restoration works over our thirty-year management period.

Neighbouring LPAs
Middlesborough Council
York City Council
Pendle Borough Council
Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Wakefield Metropolitan District Council
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
North York Moors National Park Authority
Darlington Borough Council
Durham County Council
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Lancaster City Council
Leeds City Council
Doncaster City Council
Ribble Valley Borough Council
Lancashire County Council

Neighbouring NCAs
Tees Lowlands
North Pennines
Southern Pennines
Yorkshire Dales
Vale of Mowbray
Southern Magnesian Limestone
Durham Coalfield Pennine Fringe
Nottingham, Derbyshire and Yorkshire Coalfield

Our vision

The Harrogate Habitat Bank will be fully established over the next fifteen years leading to a more functional and resilient natural landscape – one capable of supporting richer and more abundant biodiversity.

We’re establishing scrub and woodland habitats using natural regeneration to create a buffer along the adjacent river and woodland corridor. This is supporting local ecological targets and adding resilience to the neighbouring ancient woodland and Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).

We’re also creating new species-rich hedgerows and enhancing existing ones to connect the Habitat Bank to the surrounding landscape, providing features for foraging and commuting wildlife like bats and barn owls.

By installing ponds, strategically placed to curb the flow of surface water, we aim to reduce soil erosion and slow the flow of water across the local landscape to alleviate flooding in the local village.

The Harrogate Habitat Bank will help support curlew, a species that seen significant national decline due to intensive farming practices. Returning the landscape to hay meadows with scattered scrapes will really help this species, alongside other wading birds.

The landowners are keen to gain accreditation for school visits for young people studying nature. They hope to work with students to track the habitat management plan and monitor the wildlife growing in abundance.