Biodiversity Net Gain is now a requirement on most new developments in England. The projects that achieve it most easily are the ones where ecology shapes the design from the very first site visit.
Too often, ecological surveys are commissioned once a layout has already been fixed. By then, the chance to retain valuable habitats, reroute access or rethink building footprints has largely gone, and achieving the minimum 10% gain becomes a matter of expensive off-site credits.
Start with what’s already there
At Parkhouse Studio, our ecologists and arboriculturists work alongside architects and landscape architects from feasibility. Preliminary ecological assessment and tree surveys happen early, so the whole team understands which habitats and trees matter most before a single line is drawn.
Ecological mitigation and enhancement isn’t an add-on. It’s part of the design from the start.
Design for gain, not just mitigation
With the constraints understood, landscape design can do far more than compensate. Wildflower meadows, new woodland, green roofs, sustainable drainage and blue-green corridors all create new habitat while making places healthier and more enjoyable for the people who use them.
Because the same team carries the project through to completion, Landscape and Ecology Management Plans make sure those gains are protected and maintained for the long term.