The Challenge: Expanding Communities Safely Within BNG Rules

The East Barnwell development is a flagship urban regeneration scheme designed to replace 18 ageing flats with 120 high-quality new council homes. Divided into social housing and sub-market rents for local workers, the programme also integrates a vibrant community hub featuring a new library, pre-school, community centre, and commercial units.

To move the project forward into its construction phase, CIP needed to meet its Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) targets. Balancing the density of a 120-home masterplan with community amenities meant that achieving the necessary habitat uplift entirely within the project’s redline boundary was physically impossible. CIP required an efficient, legally compliant offsite partner to bridge the gap.

The Solution: A Two-Pronged Onsite & Offsite Strategy

By combining high-quality onsite design with strategic offsite purchasing, the partnership successfully unlocked a total 20% BNG uplift for the development.

1. High-Value Onsite Wins

CIP led the ground-level design at East Barnwell, prioritising urban nature to benefit incoming residents. Onsite enhancements included:

• Tree-lined streets with diverse, wildlife-friendly planting.

• A central, public community square and generous open green spaces.

• Maximised retention of the site’s existing mature trees and native hedgerows.

2. Tailored Offsite Allocation from Boxworth Habitat Bank

To fulfil the remaining deficit, BNG Partnership stepped in as the offsite specialist. Drawing from our neighbouring Boxworth Habitat Bank (located just a 15-minute drive from the East Barnwell construction site), we supplied 1.17 tailored biodiversity units, including highly specific, niche hedgerow units that are notoriously difficult to source on the open market.

Ecological Context: Why the Offsite Match Matters

The offsite units purchased by CIP do not just fulfil a planning metric; they fund genuine, long-term regional nature recovery.

Our 20-hectare Boxworth site is strategically located just one kilometre north of Overhall Grove, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the largest ancient elm woodland in Cambridgeshire. Completed in Autumn 2025 and currently in its 30-year secured management phase, Boxworth acts as an ecological "bridge" for the county's wildlife.

What’s happening at Boxworth:

• Targeted Elm Restoration: We specifically planted Small-leaved elm trees (Ulmus minor) to extend the Overhall Grove canopy, directly supporting the rare White-letter Hairstreak butterfly caterpillar which relies entirely on elm to survive.

• Habitat Mosaic: Structural diversity including native tree canopies (Oak, Beech, Birch), rich understory shrubs (Hazel, Hawthorn, Spindle), and long-term wildflower meadows (Bird's-foot Trefoil, Knapweed, Yellow Rattle).

• Community Connection: Like the onsite spaces in East Barnwell, the Boxworth site will eventually open to the public, providing a permanent local asset where residents can experience Cambridgeshire's native biodiversity firsthand.

Client Testimonials

"This is now the second site we’ve worked on with BNG Partnership, and once again the process was efficient and well managed. Their ability to provide the right mix of units and guide us through the discharge stage made it straightforward to progress."

— Simone Marsberg, The Hill Group

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"As this was my first interaction with BNG Partnership, I was impressed by how smooth and transparent the process was. The team were clear, responsive and made what can be a technical requirement feel simple and manageable."

— Molly Savino, Cambridge City Council

How Can We Support Your Next Project?

Our work at East Barnwell shows that meeting strict environmental targets is entirely achievable for complex urban masterplans, without delaying construction timelines. Whether you are managing a large-scale housing scheme, an infrastructure programme, or a smaller commercial build, BNG Partnership can help you navigate the planning system with ease. Our extensive network of registered habitat banks and in-house expertise ensure your statutory metric requirements are satisfied smoothly.