Biodiversity Loss Avoidance

By working collaboratively with Logistics and Construction Teams on the size and scale of compounds, TRU East have proactively avoided biodiversity loss. Not only is this approach the right thing to do, it has reduced the number of biodiversity units we need to replace to meet our target of 10% net gain. With current market rate for 1 Biodiversity Net Gain (BnG) unit around £30K, as well as saving habitat loss it has also generated substantial commercial savings.
Key Benefits & Costs
Church Fenton
  • Whole compound boundary (red line): 1.69ha
  • Area of biodiverse habitat retained post development: 1.07ha
  • 63.3% of the baseline hectarage figure was retained including GCN habitat
  • circa 1 BnG unit saved
Manston Lane
  • Whole compound boundary (red line): 2.48ha
  • Area of biodiverse habitat retained post development: 1.69ha
  • 68.1% of the baseline hectarage figure was retained including a veteran tree
  • circa 1 BnG unit saved
Wykebeck
  • The 2.31 units that have been retained equate to a 2.54 unit decrease in our overall Biodiversity Net Gain requirements once the 10% increase is factored in.
  • 2.54 units saved

At Church Fenton, the land agreement included 1.7ha to build an access track, construction compound and Road Rail Access Point (RRAP). The ‘business as usual’ approach, maximising the full extent of the land available, was challenged given the presence of Great Crested Newts and costs involved to replace BnG units. Mitigation measures were implemented as part of the European Protected Species licence (EPSL), but furthermore the size of the compound was scaled back to minimise disturbance to terrestrial habitat and avoid unnecessary BnG loss.

The original design and land take for Manston Lane compound encompassed a veteran tree within the red line boundary. However, through further discussions with the delivery teams we were able to not only exclude the tree and associated root protection zone, but also reduce the overall size of the compound, minimising temporary lowland dry acid grassland habitat loss.

The removal of Wykebeck Compound was a strategic decision made by our Logistics and Delivery Teams. Despite this, from a sustainability perspective there are numerous positives such as carbon savings, nuisance avoidance and retention of habitat and associated BnG savings.

   

 

Additional or Future applications identified

Habitat retention and BnG loss avoidance are now part of the conversation with regards to compound design, layout and establishment, as well as access requirements.

This collaborative approach is minimising our footprint on site, retaining habitats and avoiding unnecessary losses and associated restoration and off-setting costs.