A new initiative to boost biodiversity is coming to north Oxfordshire with the launch of Cherwell’s first-ever habitat bank.
Published: Thursday, 9th October 2025
Providing an area of land where native species and ecosystems can flourish, habitat banks help developers to offset the impact of building and leave a net positive impact on biodiversity.
Cherwell District Council is helping create the bank at Ells Farm, near Bloxham, with the support of Oxfordshire-based charity the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE). A Section 106 legal agreement establishing the habitat bank has been signed, meaning work on the bank – one of only a few in Oxfordshire - can get underway.
Councillor Jean Conway, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development Management, said: “We know our residents want to see an end to nature depletion and their local ecosystems thriving again. Planning legislation now puts much greater emphasis on the role developers should take in nature restoration, so I’m delighted that we’ve put pen to paper on the district’s first habitat bank.
“A greater volume and diversity of wildlife is a good thing for nature recovery, climate action, and for mental health. Habitat banks can include vibrant and valuable features such as native woodlands, ponds, and wildflower meadows.
“We are actively seeking to facilitate other habitat banks across the district, so I urge any landowner who wants to play their part and enhance their land holdings to get in touch and work with us.”
Ben Heaven Taylor, the CEO for the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment, said: “I am delighted that the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment has been able to support this first ever habitat bank in Cherwell. We’d like to thank the officers of Cherwell District Council for their support in reaching this milestone. This site is a great addition to TOE’s network of habitat banks across the region and provides an important step towards restoring nature in our beautiful county.”
Brian and Louise Pile, landowners at Ells Farm, said: “As a family who have farmed for generations, we are incredibly proud to be creating a habitat bank here at Ells Farm. For us, this isn’t just about diversification, it’s about looking after the land we love and securing its future for our children and grandchildren. Establishing new habitats and enhancing the ones we already have gives us a chance to give back to nature while still farming productively.
“We’re especially grateful to have worked in partnership with Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment, whose support has helped make this possible. It feels good to know that the steps we’re taking are part of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, so the changes we make here will link into a bigger picture of wildlife and landscape restoration. This is about legacy, care, and making sure the farm continues to thrive, both for our family and for the natural world around us.”
Under government planning rules introduced last year, developers must enhance biodiversity by 10 per cent or more when building new homes or infrastructure. This is known as Biodiversity Net Gain, which means that nature is left in a better state than it was before the building took place.
Where it is not possible to achieve this on the development site itself, developers can fund habitat creation elsewhere.
At present, developers would have to purchase biodiversity units outside the district to meet these obligations. However, the Ells Farm Habitat Bank will mean that, for the first time, the benefits of this investment will be realised locally.
The council is also progressing work on a second land bank in partnership with another landowner.
For local landowners, setting up a habitat bank is an opportunity to increase the biodiversity of their land whilst also providing a reliable, additional source of income.
Interested landowners can contact the council to find out more by emailing ecology@cherwell-dc.gov.uk.