LPA: Cheshire West and Chester
NCA: Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire Plain
Biodiversity Gain Site No: BGS-130625001
Very High Distinctiveness Units
Wetland – 7.5 Units
High Distinctiveness Units
Lakes – 60.09 Units
Open Mosaic – 48.29 Units
Wetland (Reedbeds) – 15.53 Units
Hedgerow 9.21 Units
Medium Distinctiveness Units
Woodland & Forest – 2.51 Units
Heathland & Scrub – 14.04 Units
Neutral Grassland – 39.76 Units Hedgerow – 2.61 Units
Local Context
Lostock Habitat Bank, comprising some 120 acres situated on the eastern side of Northwich within the LPA of Cheshire West and Chester Council. The site lies within the Shropshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire Plain NCA. GEDG are bringing this unique Habitat Bank forward in partnership with Tata Chemicals (Europe) Ltd.
Comprising a complex of former lime beds dating back to 1917, the site’s primary use was to cool and settle lime waste from the nearby ammonia soda plant. A small part of the complex remains in use today and enjoys an extant environmental permit albeit on a low intensity use basis.
As part of the nature re-build, GEDG will take management responsibility for the non-operational lime beds with the aim of building a regionally significant nature conservation-led Habitat Bank. Access to the nature reserve will be by invite only (health and safety requirements), which will optimise conditions for ground nesting and wading birds.
Habitat
The site currently comprises of poor and moderate standards of grassland, bare ground, scrub and non-priority habitat ponds.
The project will create some 7.5 units of Very High Distinctiveness Wetland. High Distinctiveness units include 60.09 Lakes, 48.29 Open Mosaic, 15.53 Wetland, and 9.21 Hedgerow. Medium Distinctiveness units include 2.51 Woodland and Forest, 14.04 Heathland and Scrub, 39.76 Neutral Grassland and 2.61 Hedgerow.
A core element of the project is the creation of new open mosaic habitats, which is a unique specialism of GEDG and thus enabling considerable off-site brownfield redevelopment to take place in line with government targets. Predator fencing, which does not form part of the calculation for Biodiversity Net Gain, is also being added to the design to assist the conservation of the endangered wading bird population.
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.
