Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) in Wigan

Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) in Wigan

Do you need to secure long-term habitat compliance in Wigan after Biodiversity Net Gain approval?

We produce council-ready HMMPs that secure habitat delivery and 30-year monitoring, keeping your development compliant well beyond construction.

Fast, Clear, Planning-Ready Support

Fast response 

Calls answered in 2 rings, emails replied to within the hour.

Free expert advice

Clear guidance before you commit.

Cost-effective

Working in partnership with clients to ensure planning approval first time

Typical 10-day turnaround

Industry Leading Standard

Expert Team

We stay with you from first call through to submission. 

Do You Need a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan in Wigan?

Where Biodiversity Net Gain applies, Wigan Council requires a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan to secure how newly created or enhanced habitats will be managed and monitored for the full 30-year period. The HMMP provides the long term framework that turns approved biodiversity uplift into practical, enforceable delivery. Without an agreed HMMP, biodiversity commitments remain unsecured and related planning conditions cannot be formally discharged.

Planning officers in Wigan commonly request HMMPs where development proposals involve habitat creation or enhancement that must be maintained beyond completion. This most often applies to

  •  residential development close to river corridors linked to the Douglas, Yarrow and associated wetlands

  • regeneration of former colliery, industrial and employment land delivering new green infrastructure

  • schemes creating public open space, attenuation areas or landscape buffers

  • developments relying on on site habitat delivery to meet Biodiversity Net Gain requirements

Where long term management detail is not provided in an approved format, biodiversity conditions cannot be signed off.

We provide Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans across Wigan, including Wigan town centre, Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley, Golborne, Ashton in Makerfield, Standish, Hindley, Abram and all surrounding neighbourhoods within the local authority area.

Why Planning Authorities in Wigan Require an HMMP

Wigan Council encourages applicants to set out long term habitat management arrangements early so biodiversity commitments are clearly defined before development begins. This process typically builds on an agreed ecological baseline and approved Metric, translating biodiversity units into clear management actions and monitoring schedules. Aligning the HMMP early reduces the risk of later amendments and helps maintain momentum through the planning process.

Local Case Insight

A Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan prepared for a housing led scheme on former industrial land near Leigh focused on newly created grassland, scrub and wetland features. The HMMP established clear management prescriptions to control scrub encroachment, manage water levels and monitor habitat condition over time. Wigan Council approved the Plan as part of condition discharge, providing certainty that habitat quality would be maintained across the thirty year period. This allowed the development to proceed without delays linked to ecological compliance.

How the HMMP Process Works

We produce Habitat Management & Monitoring Plans aligned to Wigan’s policy expectations.

Key HMMP Deliverables for Wigan Projects

Each Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan prepared for Wigan developments typically includes

  •  habitat management objectives explaining how habitats will be maintained and improved

  • a clear 30-year schedule setting out practical management actions

  • monitoring methods and reporting arrangements linked to habitat condition targets

  • defined responsibilities aligned with planning conditions or legal agreements

This ensures long term ecological compliance is clear, auditable and enforceable.

Step 1

Initial
Review

Assessment of BNG conditions, site layout and approved biodiversity proposals.

Step 2

Management Plan Draft

Habitat prescriptions, maintenance actions and monitoring schedules are set out.

Step 3

Coordination Stage

Alignment with build-out, handover or responsible body arrangements.

Step 4

Submission and Support

LPA queries or amendments are managed through to approval.

Next Steps

Ready to secure long term biodiversity compliance in Wigan? Contact us today. We’ll confirm whether an HMMP is required and ensure your biodiversity obligations remain secure for the full 30-year term.

FAQ - HMMP in Wigan

Do I need a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan in Wigan?

An HMMP is required where planning permission includes a biodiversity condition that depends on long term habitat creation or enhancement.

This applies across councils such as:

It is usually required after planning permission is granted but before biodiversity conditions can be discharged.

It sets out management objectives, a 30-year maintenance schedule, monitoring methods and reporting arrangements.

How long does an HMMP last in Wigan?

Most HMMPs cover a 30-year management and monitoring period in line with Biodiversity Net Gain requirements.

 

A qualified ecologist with experience in Biodiversity Net Gain and long term habitat management should prepare the Plan.

No. Where required by condition, development cannot lawfully proceed until the HMMP has been approved.

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