LPA: Bolton District
NCA: Lancashire Coal Measures
Habitat & Watercourse Units
Other neutral grassland: 95.81 units
Mixed scrub: 14.48 units
Rural Trees: 0.97 units
Ponds: 2.18 units
Woodland: 8.10 units
Ditches: 0.75 units
Hedgerow Units (16.70)
Native hedgerow w/ trees with bank or ditch: 3.57 units
Species-rich native hedgerow w/ bank or ditch: 1.52 units
Species-rich native hedgerow with trees: 3.32 units
Species-rich native hedgerow: 7.90 units
Line of trees w/ bank or ditch: 0.38 units
Local Context
Higher Wilson Fold Farm Habitat Bank, located within Bolton Council, and aside sits two NCAs (Lancashire Coal Measures & Southern Pennines) represents another exciting nature recovery project for GEDG and demonstrates our continued commitment to BNG and regenerative land use.
The site comprises approximately 20 hectares of varied rural land, historically managed as a mix of pastoral grassland and a Christmas tree plantation. It includes a mosaic of modified grassland fields, young and mature woodland blocks, scrub, ponds and species-poor hedgerows. The site sits within a wider rural landscape of pasture, woodland belts and reservoirs, with High Rid Reservoir located immediately to the east and established woodland to the west.
Higher Wilson Fold Farm is now set to be transformed into a biodiverse habitat bank, enhancing grasslands, restoring woodland and wetlands, and replacing commercial tree production with nature-rich habitats that deliver long-term environmental and community benefits
Habitat
The proposed habitat creation and enhancement at Higher Wilson Fold Farm will deliver a substantial uplift in biodiversity through the restoration and diversification of existing habitats.
This includes the enhancement of species-poor grasslands into species-rich neutral grassland, the restoration and expansion of woodland and scrub habitats, the creation and enhancement of ponds and wetlands, and the strengthening of hedgerow networks.
Together, these measures will improve habitat quality, structural diversity, and ecological connectivity across the site, supporting a wide range of species and delivering meaningful biodiversity gains across both medium and high distinctiveness habitat types.
Social Value
As with all our Habitat Banks, GEDG intends to create strong links with local schools and local interest groups who can visit the site on an organised basis and play a key role in the conservation activities.
GEDG’s approach to this site will provide buyers of units with additionality in terms of endangered and wider species monitoring, health and education opportunities. GEDG are retaining Middlemarch Environmental, owned by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, to monitor the habitat bank over the 30-year management period.
