The Bathealton Nature and Conservation Reserve (BNCR) was established in 2024 as a 70 acre habitat bank providing high quality, off site,
Bio-diversity Net Gain (BNG) units to developers, in Somerset and neighbouring LPA’s.

The Bathealton Nature and Conservation Reserve was prioritised by Somerset Council owing to its suitability, organisational structure and likelihood of delivering on both BNG and other Local Plan objectives. In June 2025, the land in the habitat bank was secured with a S106 agreement with Somerset Council, one of the first sites in Somerset to achieve this. The units are now registered on the National BNG Register and available for purchase (Reg. No. BGS-160725001)

Working with The Somerset Wildlife Trust and Acorn Rural Property Consultants, the Reserve offers developers the opportunity to buy professionally managed BNG units that are aligned with the Councils local plan objectives and help to support organisations ESG and reputational objectives.

BNG OFFSITE UNITS

BNCR provides a variety of offsite Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units to meet most development needs, including area, hedgerow and watercourse units. The purchase of these units and the formal allocation certificate from us will meet Somerset Council’s BNG planning obligation. No further action or obligations are required from a purchaser as all monitoring and management of the habitats are undertaken by us and Somerset Council as determined by the S106 agreement.

For more specialist requirements we may be able to create a bespoke solution. Please contact us to discuss further.

We can also offer advice on BNG in general, through our association with Acorn Rual Property Consultants and their in-house ecologist – though our experience is that most developers have their own ecological and planning advice.

Habitat Type Distinctiveness Type

Other Neutral Grassland

Mixed Scrub

Traditional Orchards

Ponds

Species-rich native hedgerow with trees, associated with bank
or ditch

Species-rich native hedgerow with trees

Other Rivers
and Streams

Medium

High

Medium

Very High

High

Area

Hedgerow

Watercourse

WHY BUY UNITS FROM US?

Units purchased through BNCR will give credibility in the planning process towards ensuring that any application is meeting BNG and Local Plan objectives. BNCR units are also likely to support your organisations ESG objectives as well as minimising the risk of reputational damage.

As a priority site selected by Somerset Council, BNCR clearly demonstrates alignment with Somersets BNG principles. The Reserve specifically offers:

A Local off-site solution within Somerset LPA.
A Strategically important site for nature conservation being in Natural England’s Habitat Network and Somerset’s Environmental Network (SEN).
Able to deliver more, bigger, better and joined up sites within the landscape in alignment with Lawton principles.The Reserve is adjacent to priority woodland sites as well as the Langford Heathfield Nature Reserve managed by Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Appropriate land use, avoiding good agricultural land building on historical land use and supporting heritage of the Bathealton Conservation area.
Habitats designed to support and encourage protected and endangered species, including bats, dormice, great crested newts, otters, water voles, brown hairstreak butterflies, badgers and others.

Purchasing units from BNCR also helps to support other planning policies and objectives. Somerset Council state “It is important that Development Proposals Respond to development plan policies as well as meeting national BNG requirements.” The Reserve was set up to deliver on other Somerset objectives alongside specific BNG requirements, including:

Flood management in the Tone catchment through construction of ponds, swales and other measures to reduce siting and attenuate water-flow.
Reduced carbon emissions from less intensive agriculture and locking of carbon in trees, scrub and uncultivated pastures.
Public Access.
Educational access for local schools.
Sustainable low intensity agricultural use.

Whilst there is no legal obligation to state where offsite BNG units will be purchased at the planning application stage, the council states “Ideally applicants will have an idea of where they plan on sourcing any off site units.” BNCR can help support a planning application by demonstrating alignment with local plan objectives.

HABITAT OVERVIEW

The BNCR is a habitat bank currently being created by converting approximately 70 acres of cropland, temporary and modified grassland to the following habitat types:

Multi Species Grassland including wildflowers
Mixed scrub
Traditional orchards
Two ponds
Trees
Hedgerows with trees and / or associated banks and ditches
Reinstatement of a spring fed stream and watercourse margins

The land is undulating and generally low-grade farmland unsuitable for arable and prone to soil erosion from run-off. A tributary of the tone flows through the Estate

WHO WE ARE

The BNCR is situated on the Bathealton Court Estate between Wellington and Wiveliscombe, next to the historic settlement of Bathealton – mentioned as a settlement in the Domesday book of 1084.

BNCR operates as part of the Bathealton Court Farm Partnership that manages the Farm and Estate. The BNCR is managed by an advisory board comprising:

David Hugh Smith has been running the Estate since 2006. Prior to that he qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte and worked for PepsiCo for five years post qualification. He has various interests in Somerset businesses and co-founded a biomass and renewables design and installation business in 2011.

Somerset Wildlife Trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK. They are a science-led movement focused on restoring habitats to support a wide range of wildlife and restore natural processes that are essential for healthy landscapes, and provide vital services such as clean air and water, food, carbon absorption and flood alleviation. With the invaluable support of volunteers and members they manage over 1700 hectares of land for wildlife and people in Somerset. They also work with other organisations and landowners to protect and connect wildlife sites across the county and inspire local communities and young people to care for wildlife where they live.

Acorn Rural Property Consultants have ecological and rural/farm business expertise and experience, including advising on selection and delivery of numerous Higher Tier and Mid-Tier Stewardship applications including habitat creation and management and capital works and SFI actions.