Blaby District Council commissioned TEP to undertake an Open Space Study of the council’s greenspaces across the district. The assessment reviewed 10 strategic greenspaces, identified for their contribution to amenity and biodiversity value. The council commissioned TEP to review and update the existing management plans for each of the strategic sites. In addition, Blaby District Council wished to gain a better understanding of its Biodiversity Net Gain provision across each of the strategic sites. To inform this, TEP undertook a BNG feasibility study which defined habitat baseline position and provided a review of potential opportunities for improvement that would generate an uplift in BNG value.
Alongside the ten Management Plans, TEP’s Land Management team produced a district wide Open Space Study which provided an overarching vision to guide decision making, a set of objectives, and provided guidance for Blaby District Council to ensure development can prioritise and ensure open spaces receive the correct investment and improvement.
TEP Ecologists undertook Phase 1 habitat surveys, supported by GIS mapping and target notes, for each of the ten sites. TEP’s Land Management team used the baseline information gathered to produce ten separate Landscape Management Plans to understand condition, use as an amenity asset, and habitat value. The Management Plans aligned to CABE space guidance and identified appropriate landscape and habitat management operations to achieve a wide range of objectives for both visitors and wildlife.
We also completed a BNG feasibility study, which established a baseline position and identified opportunities for improvement in BNG within the existing habitat provision. This information will enable the council to make informed decisions regarding the long-term management objectives for the strategic greenspaces, and review appropriateness of bringing council-managed greenspaces forward as Registered Offsite Biodiversity Gain Sites, commonly known as habitat banks.
Blaby District Council commented, “It has been a pleasure to work alongside TEP, the team has produced such high-quality reports which have been imperative to the council and the management of our spaces”.
