Castle Combe | BNG Units in Wiltshire

5 May

UNITS AVAILABLE FROM SEPTEMBER 2026

Located across three land parcels near Chippenham on the Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire border, this habitat bank sits within the Cotswolds National Character Area. Spanning approximately 247 hectares of permanent grasslands, woodlands and former arable land over limestone bedrock — this is one of the largest habitat bank projects in The Wild Company's portfolio, delivering high and very high distinctiveness units across grassland, woodland, hedgerow and watercourse habitats.

Key Facts

Register ref: TBC
Local Planning Authority (LPA): Wiltshire Council / South Gloucestershire Council
National Character Area (NCA): The Cotswolds
Local Nature Recovery Strategy: Wiltshire LNRS
HMMP: Complete
Legal Agreement: Conservation Covenant
Total units (indicative): 408.70

Overview

The Castle Combe habitat bank is a The Wild Company project spanning three geographically distinct parcels — Motcombe Farm, Land at the Fords, and Nettleton Mill — across the Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire boundary near Chippenham, within the Cotswolds National Character Area.

The site comprises a mix of permanent grasslands, woodlands and former arable land on limestone bedrock. Detailed ecological assessments and soil testing have confirmed the potential to restore very high distinctiveness Lowland Meadow and high distinctiveness Lowland Calcareous Grassland on unimproved soils — nationally scarce habitats of outstanding biodiversity value. Rule 4 of the Statutory Biodiversity Metric has been applied in targeted locations where soil parameters confirm restoration feasibility, providing strategic landscape-scale linkages of a geographically restricted habitat type.

Woodland restoration and medium distinctiveness habitats are also achievable across the site, alongside new hedgerow creation at Motcombe Farm and modest watercourse enhancement. With over 400 area units available, Castle Combe represents a significant source of high-quality BNG supply for developments across Wiltshire and the wider Cotswolds market.

The Wild Company manages the full project lifecycle. Conservation Covenant legals are in progress with On Nature as Responsible Body. Units will be available for allocation upon registration.

For information on site suitability, allocation and next steps, please get in touch.

Units available

Broad habitat	Habitat	Distinctiveness	Available units
Grassland	Lowland meadow	Very High	162.10
Grassland	Lowland calcareous grassland	High	67.45
Grassland	Other neutral grassland	Medium	60.05
Woodland	Other woodland; mixed	Medium	4.73
Watercourse	Priority habitat	Very High	1.11
Grassland	Traditional Orchards	High	6.15
Heathland and Scrub	Mixed scrub	Medium	14.46
Lakes	Ponds (priority habitat)	High	0.16
Hedgerow	Species-rich native hedgerow with trees	High	5.38
Woodland	Lowland mixed deciduous woodland	High	87.11