Biodiversity Net Gain Site: Buckinghamshire Council’s Lopemede Farm

Buckinghamshire Council has made significant strides in promoting biodiversity and nurturing nature. Through its innovative Habitat Bank Regulation service, the council has registered two sites on Natural England's National Biodiversity Gain Site Register. One is Lopemede Farm.


Working with Natural England, Buckinghamshire Council officers Louise Mapstone and David Sutherland have shared their expertise in a video, offering practical tips on how to promote sustainable development while enhancing biodiversity. In the video, Councillor Thomas Broom also shares his views, highlighting the environmental benefits brought by the council’s Biodiversity Net Gain efforts.

Lopemede Farm, located in the Thame Valley Biodiversity Opportunity Area, is a shining example of what can be achieved. Thanks to a partnership between Buckinghamshire Council, landowner Eddie Rixon, the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (ToE), and the River Thame Conservation Trust (RTCT), the farm is undergoing a nature-focused transformation. Some of the project’s key successes include:

  • Restoring three seasonally wet riverside meadows, now classified as ‘Floodplain Wetland Mosaic.’
     
  • Increasing plant diversity across 10 hectares of grassland, improving its condition from Poor to Good.
     
  • Establishing a wildlife corridor to enhance habitat connectivity.

This project demonstrates how local authorities and landowners can collaborate to deliver sustainable development whilst improving biodiversity in the local area.