This document contains some suggestions for enhancement measures that could be incorporated into your development proposals. These must be additional to any mitigation requirements that may otherwise be required due to, for example, impacts on a bat roost.
Development falling below the threshold for mandatory net gain will nonetheless be required to deliver enhancement in accordance with the following thresholds:
| Type of development | One enhancement feature required for every (or part of*) |
|---|
| New and replacement residential dwellings (including dwellings, extensions, conversions, garages and outbuildings) | 20m2 of floorspace |
| New non-residential buildings and conversions | 30m2 of floorspace |
| New non-residential roads, tracks, hardstandings and car parks | 30m2 of footprint developed |
The table below details what constitutes one enhancement feature for the application of the requirements outlined in the table above.
What constitutes one enhancement feature?
Habitat
10m2 native wildflower meadow
10m native hedgerow
Three native trees (including fruit trees (orchard))
Two integrated bird or bat boxes
2m3 permanent pond (minimum 0.6m in depth)
2m length (minimum 1m high) stone bank (with corridors)
8m2 swale or wetland
25m length of fence to prevent grazing in rivers, woodland, ditches, scrapes, scrub, other habitats
Habitat connectivity
Permeable boundaries including wildlife corridors under fences and walls – all new boundary treatments at least one corridor per 2m
Wildlife corridors under main roads and amphibian friendly kerbing – two corridors and one kerb
Sustainable drainage
1 rainwater butt (simple rainwater harvesting)
8m2 swale or wetland
The following text boxes detail ideas for enhancement (several of which are included in the table above) which can be used to deliver enhancement for sites which sit below the threshold for mandatory net gain, but also provide ideas for opportunities for wildlife (including some species-specific) to sit alongside net gain, which principally focuses on delivery of habitats.