ProHort provides Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments and Biodiversity Gain Plan support for development projects across Worcestershire. From sites near the River Severn and Avon to traditional orchard landscapes and the Malvern Hills, we help clients understand their biodiversity requirements and plan a practical route towards meeting them.
Calls answered in 2 rings, emails replied to within the hour.
Clear guidance before you commit.
Working in partnership with clients to ensure planning approval first time
Industry Leading Standard
We stay with you from first call through to submission.Â
Worcestershire County Council adopted the Worcestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) in February 2026. The strategy identifies local priorities for habitat creation, enhancement and species recovery, and is accompanied by a Local Habitat Map showing existing Areas of Particular Importance for Biodiversity and locations where targeted nature recovery measures could make a difference.
The strategy provides useful local context when considering opportunities for habitat enhancement. Its priorities can help inform the location and type of biodiversity improvements that may be appropriate for a project.
However, the LNRS does not replace a site-specific BNG assessment or the statutory biodiversity metric. The Local Habitat Map is a strategic guide, not a substitute for ecological investigation of the development site. The suitability of any proposed habitat measures must be considered in relation to the actual site, its baseline habitats and the applicable BNG requirements.
ProHort can help clients consider the Worcestershire nature recovery context alongside their individual development proposals, rather than relying on broad assumptions about what a site may support.Â
We operate across Worcestershire, supporting projects in Worcester, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Evesham and nearby villages.
Â
A Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment in Worcestershire establishes the ecological value of a development site before work takes place and calculates how the proposed development could change that value.
Where the statutory BNG condition applies, development is generally required to achieve at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value. The assessment provides the baseline information and biodiversity metric calculation needed to understand the site’s starting position and identify how the required gain could be achieved.Â
Our BNG assessment for development in Worcestershire can include:
Habitat surveys and mapping to identify the habitats present within the site boundary.
Habitat condition assessments to establish the condition and distinctiveness of relevant habitat parcels.
Biodiversity metric calculations using the applicable statutory biodiversity metric.
Biodiversity Net Gain reporting setting out the site’s baseline value and the anticipated post-development position.
Habitat retention and enhancement advice to help inform site layouts and landscape proposals.
Recommendations for additional biodiversity gains where the proposed development does not achieve the required uplift through on-site measures alone.
A robust biodiversity metric assessment can help developers and their project teams identify ecological constraints early, understand the implications of design decisions and make informed choices before submitting a planning application.Â
A Biodiversity Gain Plan in Worcestershire has a different purpose from the initial BNG assessment. It is the document that explains how the development will meet the biodiversity gain objective and provides the information required by the planning authority to consider approval of the statutory biodiversity gain condition.
Where the condition applies, the Biodiversity Gain Plan must be approved before development begins. It draws together the relevant assessment, metric calculation, approved development proposals and evidence of how the required biodiversity gains will be delivered.
As a biodiversity gain plan consultant in Worcestershire, ProHort can support the preparation of a plan that reflects the specific requirements and circumstances of your development.
Depending on the project, the development biodiversity gain plan may address:
The approved biodiversity metric calculation and the post-development biodiversity value of the site.
On-site habitat creation and enhancement, including the location and extent of proposed habitat measures.
Off-site biodiversity gains, where registered units are being used and have been allocated to the development.
Statutory biodiversity credits, where these are required as part of the proposed approach.
Habitat management and monitoring arrangements, including relevant long-term commitments.
Supporting plans and evidence needed to explain how the biodiversity gain objective will be achieved.
The aim is to ensure that the biodiversity metric gain plan accurately reflects the development proposals and provides the planning authority with the information it needs to assess the submission.
Preparing a planning-compliant Biodiversity Gain Plan involves more than completing a document. The proposed habitat measures, metric calculation and supporting evidence must be consistent with the permission and the development that will actually be delivered.
Where the statutory biodiversity gain condition applies, the plan is submitted to the relevant planning authority after planning permission has been granted. Development cannot commence until the Biodiversity Gain Plan has been approved.
ProHort can help you work through the information required for your BNG planning assessment and submission, including:
Reviewing the existing BNG assessment and biodiversity metric calculation.
Checking the approved site layout and relevant planning information.
Setting out how the proposed habitat creation and enhancement will contribute to the required gain.
Identifying any off-site biodiversity gains or statutory credits included in the strategy.
Preparing supporting documentation and responding to relevant queries or requests for amendments.
Early consideration of BNG can also help avoid a disconnect between the original assessment, the final development design and the measures described in the Biodiversity Gain Plan.
Worcestershire contains a varied mix of river valleys, traditional orchards, agricultural landscapes, ancient woodland and urban development. Understanding the habitats present on an individual site is important when establishing its biodiversity value and considering suitable opportunities for enhancement.
The Severn and Avon river corridors are important features of Worcestershire’s landscape. Their surrounding environments include floodplain grassland, wetland habitats, riverside vegetation and networks of ditches and watercourses.
Development close to these areas may need careful consideration of existing habitat features and their connections to the wider landscape. Floodplain meadows, wet ditches and watercourse margins should not be treated as interchangeable habitat types: their condition, distinctiveness and suitability for enhancement need to be assessed on site.
Traditional orchards are a distinctive feature of parts of Worcestershire, particularly across the Vale of Evesham and surrounding countryside. Older orchard trees, species-rich grassland, hedgerows and field boundaries can all contribute to the ecological value of a development site.
Where these features are present, a biodiversity assessment should consider their condition and role within the wider habitat network. Retaining established trees and hedgerows may also influence how a development layout is designed.
The Malvern Hills and their surrounding landscapes include a range of habitats, including grassland, woodland, scrub and heathland. Sites on the edges of settlements or within the wider landscape may contain habitat features that connect to these areas.
The presence of nearby designated or locally important wildlife sites may also be relevant to wider ecological considerations. These matters should be considered alongside, but not confused with, the separate requirements of the statutory BNG metric.
Wyre Forest and the wider wooded landscapes of western Worcestershire provide an important local context for development proposals. Ancient woodland, native woodland, woodland edges and connecting hedgerows can all be relevant when considering habitat retention and opportunities for nature recovery.
Existing woodland and other irreplaceable habitats require particular care. They should not be treated as ordinary habitat parcels for the purpose of calculating a straightforward biodiversity uplift.
Development in Worcester, Redditch, Kidderminster, Bromsgrove and other towns may involve previously developed land, commercial premises, infrastructure or sites on settlement boundaries.
A previously developed site is not automatically of low biodiversity value. Brownfield land can support valuable habitat mosaics, including species-rich vegetation, scrub and bare-ground features. A site-specific survey is therefore important before assumptions are made about its baseline value.
Whether you need a Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment for a proposed development or support preparing a Biodiversity Gain Plan following planning permission, ProHort can help you understand the ecological information and documentation required.
Contact our team to discuss your Worcestershire project and the next steps.
Worcestershire’s LNRS identifies local priorities for habitat recovery and maps areas where nature recovery measures may be particularly beneficial. This can provide useful context when considering habitat creation or enhancement opportunities. However, the strategy does not determine a site’s biodiversity baseline or replace the statutory biodiversity metric. A site-specific assessment is still needed.
Traditional orchards can include mature fruit trees, grassland and other habitat features that contribute to biodiversity. Their ecological value will depend on the characteristics and condition of the site. Developers should establish what is present before finalising a layout, as retaining established orchard features may be an important consideration in the BNG strategy.
No. A site’s location near a river does not automatically increase the statutory BNG percentage. The biodiversity metric assesses the habitats present and their relevant characteristics. However, floodplain grassland, wetland, watercourse margins and associated habitats may influence the site’s baseline value and the opportunities available for enhancement. Other planning or environmental considerations may also apply.Â
Yes. Previously developed land can support habitats such as scrub, species-rich grassland, bare-ground mosaics and other vegetation communities. The site’s previous use does not automatically make it low value for biodiversity. A suitable ecological assessment is needed to establish the habitats present and their condition before the BNG calculation is completed.
The statutory biodiversity metric is used where the statutory BNG framework applies; being within or close to the Malvern Hills National Landscape does not create a separate BNG percentage. However, the landscape setting, designated sites, habitats and wider ecological constraints may be relevant to the development’s planning and ecological considerations. These should be considered alongside the BNG assessment.
Yes, where the statutory framework applies, registered off-site biodiversity gains may contribute towards the biodiversity gain objective if the units are eligible and correctly allocated to the development. The biodiversity gain hierarchy must be considered, and the relevant details need to be included in the Biodiversity Gain Plan. The suitability and availability of units should be checked as part of the project’s overall BNG strategy.
