Biodiversity Net Gain Scheme - Lower Valley Farm

This is an exciting opportunity for developers to become part of a pioneering scheme and to be at the forefront of a strategic ecological opportunity area

We are are working with Cambridgeshire County Council to develop this pilot scheme in South Cambridgeshire which enables developers to secure biodiversity units ‘off-the-shelf’, delivering off-site biodiversity net gain for developments within the Cambridge area.

The site is located approximately 5 miles to the southeast of Cambridge City and 2 miles south of Fulbourn.

Located within the South Cambridgeshire Local Planning Authority area and East Anglian Chalk National Character Area.

The site is approximately 140 hectares / 346 acres.

Click Here to download the project site boundary

The scheme is strategically located to provide significant opportunity to create habitats that connect to the wider surroundings and buffer ecological valuable sites.

Within the Cambridge Nature Network
Adjacent to the Roman Road SSSI
Stepping stone to surrounding SSSIs including the Gog Magog Golf Course SSSI

Click here to download the plan showing the regional context

The site and surrounding countryside are predominantly agricultural, comprising large fields bounded by hedgerows, as well as scattered small woodlands.

The land is characterised as shallow well drained calcareous course loamy and sandy soils over chalk rubble. Also, deep noncalcareous loamy soils in places.

The land is principally farmed for combinable crops. The Baseline Biodiversity Report documents that baseline habitat is predominantly arable with boundary hedgerows and small areas of woodland.

The site has significant potential for biodiversity uplift through the creation and enhancement of biodiverse habitats.

Habitat creation has already taken place across approx. 70 ha of the site as a first phase of BNG. The scheme is creating and enhancing high-quality biodiverse habitats, comprising:

High distinctiveness
Species-rich native hedgerows with trees

Medium distinctiveness
Other neutral grassland
Mixed scrub
Other woodland: broadleaved

Click Here for the landscape master plan

Strategic spatial planning of habitat delivery across the site has been undertaken and a robust and flexible long-term management structure is in place to maximise environmental outcomes.

An Environmental Management Plan has been developed to support the delivery of the scheme for the 30-year period.

Biodiversity units which meet local developer compensation requirements in terms of habitat types and extents can be secured ‘off-the-shelf’.

An allocation agreement will be prepared for developers to secure biodiversity units from the site. Depending on the development’s stage in the planning process, an option can be granted which allows developers to obtain planning consent.

A first phase of habitat creation was conducted across approx. 70 ha of the site in September 2022 to form a habitat bank, providing biodiversity units in advance of development habitat impacts.

The principle objective of this scheme is to increase biodiversity within the site and provide habitat connectivity across the landscape.

Additionally, the scheme can contribute to a range of other ecosystem services including:

• Community access to nature
• Improved amenity value
• Improved air and water quality
• Natural flood attenuation
• Carbon sequestration

Project Site Boundary

Download copies of the Biodiversity Net Gain Project Site and its Regional Context in relation to the Cambridge Nature Network and surrounding SSSIs

Regional Context Project Site Boundary

12107-30-I01-06-F-Biodiversity Strategy_Page_1

12107-30-I01-06-F-Biodiversity Strategy_Page_3

The scheme will see the existing arable farmland converted to biodiverse habitats through habitat creation and enhancement. The habitats will be managed for at least 30 years.

The provision of biodiversity units ‘off-the-shelf’ reduces the risks and delays to developers in seeking credible solutions to satisfy off-site biodiversity gain requirements.

Key Scheme Benefits

There are huge advantages in delivering BNG requirements through a scheme of this nature:

Providing significant contributions to recognised local ecological priorities
Cost-effective delivery of high-quality habitat creation and enhancement at landscape scale
Owned and administered by a highly credible and committed public body
Greater confidence in the security of long-term sustainable management beyond the requisite contractual 30-year period

The scheme aligns with the South Cambridgeshire Biodiversity Strategy objectives and has the support of the Local Planning Authority and other key stakeholders