Wates Wildscape, a new business dedicated to delivering biodiversity habitat sites across the UK, has been launched by Wates.
The new company aims to provide a solution for new developments that are unable to meet their Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and support Wates’ ambition to lead the way in sustainable land promotion.
Wates Wildscape’s first habitat site in Ashurst sits in Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and the High Weald National Character Area. The team will turn the 17-hectare site from poor quality agricultural land into a wild landscape of grasslands, scrub, hedgerows, wet woodlands and ponds, creating over 105 BNG units for sale in the process. Bordering the River Medway, the site will also benefit from high-quality riparian planting providing much-needed watercourse units while also improving localised water quality.
Olivia Dear, sustainability and Wates Wildscape director at Wates Land and Development, said: “We are acutely aware that nature is struggling, and we want to play a more direct part in helping it recover. Wates Wildscape is our way of reimagining the balance between housing and habitats. It gives us a platform to use our expertise in strategic land promotion to deliver credible solutions that really work, both for nature and developers. The government has set an ambitious target for growth through building 1.5 million new homes, schools and other critical infrastructure. By creating off-site, nature-based BNG solutions, we are providing high-quality, assured and sustainable options for the industry to meet its obligations and ultimately, ensure nature thrives.”
David Brocklebank, executive managing director of Wates Land and Development, said: “Wates Wildscape is much more than a business initiative; it is an integral part of our sustainability strategy. We are combining our strategic land expertise, our commitment to the environment and our expert knowledge of planning and development to help our sector meet environmental targets whilst also supporting local nature recovery.”
“We are fully invested in ensuring the BNG market functions properly, to improve the world around us for future generations. We look forward to completing our first habitat site and will be bringing additional sites to market in the near future. Each habitat will be designed to enhance its natural surroundings and will support our company promises of working to ensure that places, the planet and people can thrive.”
