Tiptree Habitat Bank

County: Essex
Local planning authority (LPA): Colchester City Council
National Character Area (NCA): Northern Thames Basin
Biodiversity gain sites register number: BGS-240726001

Birds-eye render of Tiptree Habitat Bank before restoration

Very high distinctiveness habitats

Species-rich native hedgerow with trees — associated with bank or ditch

High distinctiveness habitats

Species-rich native hedgerow with trees
Traditional orchards

Medium distinctiveness habitats

Mixed scrub
Other neutral grassland
Other woodland; broadleaved
Rural tree

Buy Biodiversity Units

Ready to purchase now, subject to availability.

Habitat Bank overview

Less than ten miles from the Essex coastline sits Tiptree Habitat Bank – a thirty-five acre parcel of land where we are restoring habitats and supporting local wildlife.

The site’s diverse mosaic of grassland, scrub, and woodland will create habitats for a wide range of flora and fauna – including locally recorded birds of prey such as barn owl and harrier.

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
Maldon District Council
Tendring District Council
Babergh District Council
Braintree District Council

Neighbouring NCAs
Chilterns
South Suffolk and North Essex Clayland
Inner London
Thames Valley
Suffolk Coast and Heaths
Greater Thames Estuary

Our vision

Tiptree Habitat Bank is strategically located near the Blackwater Estuary Nature Reserve – a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) made up of over 13,000 acres of diverse wetland habitats. There have previously been records here of Daubenton’s bat – often called the ‘water bat’ as it tends to fly only centimetres from the water’s surface – which we are hoping to support through our enhancement of the land.

The placement of Tiptree Habitat Bank will increase connectivity for native wildlife – enhancing local biodiversity and strengthening the surrounding landscapes against the effects of climate change.

Natural ground springs often form during long, wet periods at the site. Their shallow and vegetated conditions create unique microhabitats (a small-scale habitat within a larger ecosystem) for smaller animals, plants, and invertebrates. They also contribute to the baseflow of streams and rivers, protecting local communities by tackling drought. We’re hoping that our ecological work at Tiptree Habitat Bank will further help these springs flourish.

We are also creating traditional orchards on the site where we will produce locally grown D’arcy spice apples. These are grown locally and are little-known outside of the surrounding area, so they hold a huge cultural significance for local communities. The production of these apples will not only celebrate this regional tradition but will diversify the landowner’s income as they can sell these apples to local people.