Witchampton Habitat Bank
- County
- Dorset
- Local planning authority (LPA)
- Dorset Council
- National Character Area (NCA)
- Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase
- Biodiversity gain sites register number
- BGS-111024001
Biodiversity Units available:
Very high distinctiveness habitats
- Lowland meadows
High distinctiveness habitats
- Other rivers and streams
- Floodplain wetland mosaic and CFGM
Medium distinctiveness habitats
- Ditches
- Mixed scrub
- Other neutral grassland
- Species-rich native hedgerow
Habitat Bank overview
Our Witchampton Habitat Bank covers 36 hectares of land on a rural estate in Dorset where we are creating and enhancing habitats to support a diverse range of native flora and fauna.
The site is a section of land known as the ‘water meadows’ with floodplain grazing marsh running along the River Allen corridor. It is an ideal location to provide a larger and more diverse haven for nature.
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.
Biodiversity Units from this Habitat Bank are ready to purchase now, subject to availability. Provided alongside expert planning support, these Biodiversity Units offer an effective local off-site BNG solution for the Dorset Council LPA and the Dorset Downs and Cranborne Chase NCA.
| Adjacent LPAs | Adjacent NCAs |
|---|---|
| Wiltshire Council | New Forest |
| Somerset Council | Dorset Heaths |
| East Devon District Council | Yeovil Scarplands |
| New Forest District Council | Weymouth Lowlands |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council | Marshwood and Powerstock Vales |
| Blackmore Vale and Vale of Wardour | |
| Salisbury Plain and West Wiltshire Downs |
Our vision
The Witchampton Habitat Bank lies adjacent to the River Allen, which forms part of the River Stour catchment. The western portion of the site sits strategically within the Dorset ecological network. It also sits within both the Cranbourne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Areas of Outstanding National Beauty.
We’re excited to be enhancing and creating priority habitats including coastal and floodplain grazing marsh and lowland meadows. We’re in the process of transforming the existing grassland and arable fields into rich mosaic of wetter meadows with scrapes and ponds, open native mixed scrub and neutral grasslands which will support a diverse mix of species.
We hope that the new scraps, ponds, increased vegetation cover, and soil health enhancements across the site will reduce surface water runoff and increase the soils water storage capacity. This will make the land more resilient to the effects of climate change.
The new habitats will support a stunning array of wildflowers and become home to a range of invertebrate species. We hope that the Habitat Bank will provide a fantastic opportunity to support local rare wildlife.
Buy BNG Units
Find out the cost and availability of Biodiversity Units from Witchampton Habitat Bank.
