NINETY acres of land on an east Dorset rural estate are to be added to a national biodiversity gain site register. 

Witchampton Habitat Bank, five miles north of Wimborne Minster, will soon have enhancements and “priority habitats” created as part of a legal agreement. 

The agreement is called a biodiversity net gain (BNG), and is being done by Environment Bank, an off-site BNG provider and ecological consultancy RSK Biocensus. 

The site is a section of land known as the ‘water meadows’ with floodplain grazing marsh running along the River Allen corridor. 

Environment Bank will be enhancing and creating priority habitats including coastal and floodplain grazing marsh and lowland meadows, which will support a diverse mix of species. 

The scraps, ponds, increased vegetation cover and soil health enhancements across the site will reduce surface water runoff and increase the soil's water storage capacity. 

(Image: Environment Bank)

This will make the land more resilient to the effects of climate change, Environment Bank has said. 

Witchampton Habitat Bank’s western portion sits strategically within the Dorset ecological network. It also sits within both the Cranbourne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB. 

It is one of 17 BNG sites from a national network of 27, created and managed by Environment Bank in partnership with rural landowners, that cover almost 1,100 acres in total.  

BNG not only contributes to national biodiversity objectives but also offers landowners a way to diversify their income streams, enhance their natural landscapes and build business resilience for their farms. 

Catherine Spitzer, chief executive of Environment Bank, said: “Working alongside local farmers and landowners, Environment Bank has 27 habitat banks already live, generating over 4,000 biodiversity units. 

“Securing legal agreements for these sites is the final step in unlocking the supply of biodiversity units. 

“With developers required to ensure their projects benefit nature overall, this marks a significant milestone in the implementation phase.  

“Now with supply unlocked, we can meet growing demand. This is a really positive step in helping this fledgling market thrive.”  

Landowners can now secure a reliable source of additional income by establishing habitat banks and generating these biodiversity units on their land.  

After achieving the revenue target, any additional revenue generated will be shared equally between the landowner and Environment Bank.