Planning a development in Salford? Understanding the biodiversity value of your site is an important part of making informed planning decisions and identifying how your project can deliver biodiversity improvements.
ProHort provides Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Assessments in Salford, helping developers, architects and planning consultants establish a site’s habitat baseline and understand the potential effects of development on biodiversity.
We also provide support with a Biodiversity Gain Plan in Salford, helping you use the findings of your assessment to plan how the applicable biodiversity requirements will be met.
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Salford combines a growing urban environment with important green spaces, waterways and wildlife habitats. Areas such as Kersal Dale, Worsley Woods and the River Irwell corridor demonstrate the variety of ecological features found across the city. Salford Quays and the city’s canal network also contribute to its distinctive waterside environment.
These local features provide useful context for understanding biodiversity, but the ecological value of each development site must be assessed individually. Urban sites can contain habitats of value too, including trees, grassland, scrub, hedgerows and ponds.
A Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment in Salford helps establish the existing biodiversity value of a site and consider how proposed development could affect its habitats. This information can then inform decisions about habitat retention, enhancement and the wider BNG strategy.
ProHort can help you understand the biodiversity considerations associated with your project and identify the next steps towards meeting applicable planning requirements.
We support projects across the city of Salford, working in neighbourhoods such as Salford Quays, Ordsall, Eccles, Pendleton, Weaste, Seedley, Swinton, Walkden, Little Hulton and the wider areas within the Salford local authority boundary.
A Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment evaluates the biodiversity value of a site before development and considers how the proposed works may change that value.
The assessment uses the applicable statutory biodiversity metric to calculate the biodiversity units associated with the site’s habitats. These calculations help inform the approach to achieving the required biodiversity outcome where statutory BNG applies.
For developments in Salford, the assessment may consider habitats such as:
Urban grassland and landscaped green spaces
Trees, woodland and scrub
Hedgerows and other linear habitats
Ponds, rivers and canal-side habitats
Brownfield habitats with potential ecological value
The habitats present will vary from one site to another. Our ecologists consider the site’s characteristics to establish an appropriate habitat baseline.
A BNG Assessment can help you:
The findings can inform a Biodiversity Net Gain report for Salford, helping you understand the site’s baseline and the biodiversity considerations that need to be addressed as your project progresses.
A Biodiversity Gain Plan explains how a development proposes to meet the applicable statutory BNG requirements. It brings together the relevant biodiversity calculations and information about how the required biodiversity outcome will be delivered.
ProHort can support the preparation of a Biodiversity Gain Plan in Salford, using the findings of your assessment to help inform the proposed approach.
Depending on the development, this may involve:
The appropriate approach will depend on the development proposals, the habitats present and the applicable requirements.
Our team can help you understand the information needed for your Biodiversity Gain Plan report in Salford and how it relates to your wider planning process.
Biodiversity considerations can influence site design, landscaping decisions and the overall development strategy. Considering BNG early can help you identify potential constraints and opportunities before plans are finalised.
ProHort works with developers, architects and planning consultants to provide ecological assessment and BNG planning support. We can help you understand the site’s habitat baseline, interpret the findings of the biodiversity assessment and consider suitable options for delivering biodiversity improvements.
Our support can include:
Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments
Habitat baseline assessments
BNG metric calculations
Biodiversity Gain Plan preparation
Advice on habitat retention and enhancement
Consideration of offsite BNG units where appropriate
Salford’s combination of urban development, waterways and green infrastructure means that biodiversity considerations will differ between sites. Our approach is tailored to your project’s characteristics and the requirements that apply to it.
ProHort can support you through the main stages of the Biodiversity Net Gain process.
We assess the habitats and biodiversity value of your site.
We use the applicable metric to assess changes in biodiversity value.
We consider habitat improvements and potential offsite options.
We help prepare the Biodiversity Gain Plan and relevant supporting information.
We help you understand the information needed for the applicable planning process.
Contact us and we’ll confirm exactly what your site requires and support a planning-ready, proportionate route forward.
A biodiversity assessment considers the habitats present on a site and their ecological characteristics. For BNG purposes, this helps establish the habitat baseline and informs the applicable statutory biodiversity metric calculation. The scope of the work will depend on the site and the requirements of the project.
Not every development is subject to the same statutory BNG requirements. Exemptions and specific rules may apply depending on the development type, site characteristics and applicable legislation. The requirements should be checked for the individual project before deciding what assessment is needed.
Yes. Urban and brownfield sites can contain habitats that contribute to biodiversity, including grassland, scrub, trees and other ecological features. Their value depends on the habitats present and their condition, so a site-specific assessment is important.
The applicable statutory biodiversity metric is used to calculate the biodiversity value of habitats before and after development. The calculation takes account of factors including habitat type, area or length where relevant, condition and other metric-specific considerations. The results help inform how the development may meet its BNG requirements.
Where permitted and appropriate, registered offsite biodiversity gains may contribute towards meeting a development’s BNG requirements. The biodiversity gain hierarchy must be considered, and the suitability of offsite units depends on the proposed development, the metric results and the applicable rules.
It is beneficial to consider BNG early, while site layout and landscaping proposals are still being developed. Early assessment can help establish the habitat baseline, identify potential ecological constraints and inform decisions about habitat retention or enhancement before plans are finalised.
