Warrington Borough Council has registered the sites—Bewsey Tip and Gatewarth Tip, both designated as Local Wildlife Sites—as habitat banks on Natural England’s Biodiversity Gain Site Register.
Spanning more than 12 hectares, they will now generate Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units, which developers can purchase to offset unavoidable biodiversity losses from development projects.
Councillor Una Gillham, the council’s cabinet member for climate change, sustainability and the environment, said: “The registration of these habitat banks marks an important milestone for Warrington.
“For the first time, developers can invest in biodiversity projects right here in the borough, helping to create and improve habitats that will benefit wildlife for decades to come.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to enhance Warrington’s biodiversity, improve a locally scarce habitat type and enrich residents’ lives by bringing people closer to nature.
“By creating habitat banks within the borough, we can ensure that investment from Biodiversity Net Gain supports local wildlife and local communities, helping us deliver lasting environmental benefits for future generations.”
Introduced by the Environment Act 2021, the Biodiversity Net Gain requirement mandates that most new developments result in a minimum 10 per cent increase in biodiversity.
If this cannot be achieved on-site, developers can purchase BNG units from registered habitat banks.
The units now available at Bewsey Tip and Gatewarth Tip are classified as Neutral Grassland BNG units.
Funds from their sale will be ringfenced for 30 years of ecologist-led habitat enhancement, management, and monitoring to maximise biodiversity outcomes at the sites.
Before this registration, Warrington had no public or private habitat banks, and developers were often required to purchase BNG units from outside the borough.
This meant both biodiversity gains and long-term investment were lost to other areas.
Developers interested in purchasing BNG units can contact the council by emailing bng@warrington.gov.uk.